v^ 


v^ 


THE 


Burial  of  the  Dead, 


A    PASTOR'S    COMPLETE    HAND-BOOK   FOR 

FUNERAL    SERVICES, 

AND   FOR    THE    CONSOLATION  AND   COMFORT 

OF   THE  AFFLICTED. 


VA 
Rev.   GEORGE   DUFFIELD.   D.D., 

AND         K 

Rev.    SAMUEL  W.    DUFFIELD. 


NEW   YORK: 

FUNK   &  WAGNALLS,    Publishers, 

lo  AND  12  Dey  Street. 

1S82. 

COPYKIGHT,    1882,    BY    FuNK    &   WaGNALLS. 


"If  thou  put  the  brethren  in  remembrance  of  these  things    thn„  <.K.U  k 
a  good  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  nourished  up  in  the  wo  ds  of  f.i'th       H    ^       ! 
doctrme,  whereunto  thou  hast  attained."-x  T,m   iv     .  '"'  ''  ^°°^ 


CONTENTS. 


I. 

SCRIPTURAL    SERVICES.' 

I. — I.  A   Salutation 3 

2.  A   Word  of  Comfort 3 

3.  The  Brevity  of  Life — a  Scriptural  Prayer 4 

II. — For  a  Child  (1-3) 5 

III. — For  Young  People  (1-4) 9 

IV. — For  Christian  Persons  (1-5) 15 

V. ^General  Services  (1-9) 23 

VI. — Scripture  Selections  (1-9) 37 

VII. — The  Service  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  49 

II. 

WHAT    IS    DEATH? 

I. — The  Execution  of  a  Sentence 61 

II. — The  Dissolution  of  a  Union 61 

III. — An  End 62 

IV. — A  Beginning , 62 

V. — The  Seed-Time  of  a  Future  Harvest 62 

VI. — The  Last  Enemy 63 

VII. — Sin,  the  Procuring  Cause 63 

VIII. — Final  Causes  of  Death 63 

IX. — The  Ordering  of  the  Lord. 64 


IV  CONTENT'S. 

X. — God  the  Author  of  it 64 

XI. — Its  Leading  Characteristics 64 

1.  //  is  Universal 64 

2.  //  is  Inevitable 65 

3.  It  is  Impartial 65 

4.  It  is  Sure 65 

5.  Its  Time  Uncertain  to  Alan 66 

6.  But  Certain  7uilh  God 66 

7.  Without  Order 66 

8.  Near 66 

9.  Often  Unexpected 67 

10.  Ever  Approaching 67 

11.  To  be  Kept  in  View 67 

XII. — Death,  how  Described 67 

XIII. — Terminates  our  Probation 69 

XIV. — To  BE  Prepared  for,  Temporally 69 

XV. — To  BE  Prepared  FOR  Spiritually. 70 

XVI. — To  be  Prepared,  one  jviust  Believe  on  Christ  70 

XVII. — Fear  of  Death  ;  its  Causes  and  Cure 71 

XVIII.  — Indications  of  Actual  Death 73 

XIX. — Departure  of  THE  Soul  74 

XX. — The  Death  of  the  Righteous ; 75 

XXI. — The  Death  of  the  Wicked  76 

XXII. — Provision  for  Passing  the  Dark  River 76 

XXIII. — Timely  Warning  to  be  Given 77 

XXIV. — Brief  Words  for  the  Dying  77 

XXV. — The  Body  in  the  Custody  of  Angels So 

XXVI.— The  Intermediate  State. 80 

XXVII. — Grief  Finding  Utterance 81 

1.  La77ientation \^^^  ...  81 

2.  Chastening 83 

3.  Exhortation 84 

4.  Consolation 85 


CONTENTS.  V 

5.  Resignation 87 

6.  Precious  Promises 88 

7.  Syvipathy 89 

8.  Sorroiii ;  zvhen  Excessive 90 

XXVIII, — Advice  to  the  Bereaved 91 

XXIX. — Positive  Signs  of  Death   92 

XXX. — The  Law  of  Burial 94 

III.       • 

THE   FUNERAL. 

I. — Dr.  Pond  on  the  Duties  of  the  Clergyman  ...     97 

II. — Preparation  for  Burial 99 

III. — Ministers  of  Christ  to  be  Sent  for 100 

IV. — The  First  Funeral no 

V. — The  Burial  of  Rachel loi 

VI. — The  Burial  of  Jesus 102 

VII. — Deprivation  of  Burial  a  Calamity 103 

VIII. — Burial  among  Primitive  Christians 104 

IX. — Cremation 104 

X. — Obituaries,  Inscriptions,  and  Epitaphs    105 

IV. 

HINTS   FOR   SERMONS   AND    ADDRESSES. 

I. — Death  in  Infancy 109 

II.— In  Early  Life 113 

III. — In  the  Family 116 

IV. — In  the  Church 121 

1.  Ministers I2I 

2.  Members 125 

3.  General 130 


vi  COX  TEXTS. 

v.— In  THE  State • 131 

1.  A  Ruler , 131 

2.  A  Public  Man 132 

VI, — Miscellaneous  Topics  and  Hints  133 

VII. — Peculiar  and  Special  Cases 136 

1.  Suicide 136 

2.  A   "  Fallen   Woman''    137 

3.  Long  Sickness  and  Fain 139 

4.  Casnalties 139 

5.  Sudden  Death 141 

6.  Cases  of  Great  Affliction 142 

7.  Death  in  Child-Bed. 142 

8.  A  Sailor 142 

g.   A  Rich  Man 143 

10.  A  Foor  Man 143 

11.  A  Repentant  Criminal 143 

12.  ^  Careless  Fei'son 143 

13.  ^   Witty  Man 144 

14.  A  Fearsome  Death 144 

15.  A  "  Sporting  Matt" 144 

16.  A   Time  of  Festilence 144 

VIII. — The  Burial  of  our  Lord 144 

IX. — The  Resurrection  in  Christ's  own  Words 147 

X. — Heaven 14S 

XI. — At  the  Grave  (Committal  Services). 149 

XII, — Benediction 150 


v^ 


INTRODUCTORY. 

This  little  book  grows  out  of  the  experience 
of  four  generations,  of  which  the  last  three  have 
so  overlapped  as  to  be,  practically,  one  long  pas- 
torate of  nearly  four-score  years.  These  texts, 
topics,  hints,  and  arrangements  of  Scripture 
have  taken,  in  our  work,  the  place  of  other  fune- 
ral forms.  For,  after  a  thorough  examination  of 
all  the  published  manuals  which  are  accessible  to 
American  clergymen,  we  found  so  much  that  was 
incoherent,  or  abrupt,  or  unsuitable,  that  we  were 
driven  directly  back  to  the  Word  of  God  itself. 

We  have  aimed  to  supply  a  practical  want  in  a 
practical  way.  It  will  be  seen  that  we  have  en- 
deavored to  make  a  convenient  volume  for  the 
pocket  ;  whose  Services  will  be  easily  read  in  a 
darkened  room  ;  whose  Topics  and  Texts  may  be 
an  instant  help  in  any  emergency  ;  and  whose 
discussion  of  the  important  theme  which  has  pro- 


V 1 1 1  INTR  OD  UC  TOR  V. 

duced  it,  will  lead  to  hopefulness  and  comfort  in 

the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  Death. 

May  it  be  as  the  "  hyssop  that  springeth  out 

of«  the  wall" — a  living  thing  from  the  sepulchre 

to  sprinkle    cleansing  upon  the    customs  of  our 

grief. 

George  Duffield. 

Samuel  W.  Duffield. 
March,  1882. 


v^ 


I. 

SCRIPTURAL    SERVICES. 


"  But  for  thee,  O  Saviour,  the  grave-stone,  the  earth,  the 
coffin,  are  no  bounders  of  thy  dear  respects;  even  after  death 
and  burial  and  corruption,  thou  art  graciously  affected  to 
those  thou  lovest." — Bp.  Hall:  "Lazarus  Dead" 


v^ 


SCRIPTURAL     SERVICES. 


I. 

(i)     A  Salutation.      Ps.  xx. 

The  Lord  hear  thee  in  the  day  of  trouble  ;  the 
name  of  the  God  of  Jacob  defend  thee  :  send 
thee  help  from  the  sanctuary,  and  strengthen 
thee  out  of  Zion. 

(2)     A   Word  of  Comfort.     Ps.  xxiii. 

The  Lord  is  my  shepherd  ;  I  shall  not  want. 
He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures  :  he 
leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters.  He  restoreth 
my  soul  :  he  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  right- 
eousness for  his  name's  sake.  Yea,  though  I 
walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death, 
I  will  fear  no  evil  :  for  thou  art  with  me  ;  thy 
rod  and  thy  ~staff  they  comfort  me.  Thou  pre- 
parest  a  table  before  me  in  the  presence  of  mine 
enemies  :  thou  anointest  my  head  with  oil  ;  my 
cup  runneth  over.  Surely  goodness  and  mercy 
shall  follow  me  all  the  days  of  my  life  :  and  I  will 
dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  forever. 


4  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

(3)  The  Brevity  of  Life.  (A  Scriptural  prayer.) 
Lord,  make  me  to  know  mine  end,  and  the 
measure  of  my  days,  what  it  is,  that  I  may  know 
how  frail  I  am.  Behold,  thou  hast  made  my  days 
as  a  handbreadth  and  mine  age  is  as  nothing  be- 
fore thee.  All  our  days  are  passed  away  in  thy 
wrath  ;  we  spend  our  years  as  a  tale  that  is  told. 
The  days  of  our  years  are  three-score  years  and 
ten  ;  and  if  by  reason  of  strength  they  be  fourscore 
years,  yet  is  their  strength  labor  and  sorrow  ; 
for  it  is  soon  cut  off,  and  we  fly  away.  We  are 
strangers  before  thee,  and  sojourners,  as  were  all 
our  fathers  ;  our  days  on  the  earth  are  as  a 
shadow,  and  there  is  none  abiding.  Lord,  what  is 
man  that  thou  takest  knowledge  of  him  ?  or  the 
son  of  man,  that  thou  makest  account  of  him  ? 
Thou  compassest  my  path  and  my  lying  down, 
and  art  acquainted  wdth  all  my  ways.  When  I 
awake  I  am  still  with  thee.  Cause  me  to  hear 
thy  loving  kindness  in  the  morning,  for  in  thee  do 
I  trust  :  cause  me  to  know  the  way  wherein  I 
should  walk  ;  for  I  lift  up  my  soul  unto  thee. 
So  teach  us  to  number  our  days  that  we  may  ap- 
ply our  hearts  unto  wisdom.  And  let  the  beauty  of 
the  Lord  our  God  be  upon  us,  and  establish  thou 
the  work  of  our  hands  upon  us  ;  yea,  the  work  of 
our  hands  establish  thou  it. 

Blessed    be   the    LORD    forevermore.     Amen, 
and  Amen. 


SCRIP  TURA  L  SER  VICES. 


II.     FOR     A     CH  ILD. 

(i)     Matt,  xviii.-xix. 

And  Jesus  called  a  little  child  unto  him,  and 
set  him  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  said.  Verily  I 
say  unto  you,  Except  ye  be  converted,  and  be- 
come as  little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

Whosoever  therefore  shall  humble  himself  as 
this  little  child,  the  same  is  greatest  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  And  whoso  shall  receive  one 
such  little  child  in  my  name  receiveth  me. 

Take  heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  lit- 
tle ones  ;  for  I  say  unto  you,  that  in  heaven  their 
angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.  For  the  Son  of  man  is  come 
to  save  that  which  was  lost.  Even  so  it  is  not 
the  will  of  your  Father  w^hich  is  in  heaven,  that 
one  of  these  little  ones  should  perish. 

Then  were  there  brought  unto  him  little  chil- 
dren, that  he  should  put  his  hands  on  them,  and 
pray  :  and  the  disciples  rebuked  them.  But  Jesus 
said,  Suffer  little  children,  and  forbid  them  not, 
to  come  unto  me  ;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  And  he  laid  his  hands  on  them,  and 
departed  thence.  ' 

(2)     2.  Sam.  xii. 

And  the    Lord  struck  the  child   that   Uriah's 


6  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

wife  bare  unto  David,  and  it  was  very  sick. 
David  therefore  besought  God  for  the  child  ;  and 
David  fasted,  and  went  in,  and  lay  all  night  upon 
the  earth.  And  the  elders  of  his  house  arose,  and 
went  to  him,  to  raise  him  up  from  the  earth  :  but 
he  would  not,  neither  did  he  eat  bread  with 
them.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  seventh  day, 
that  the  child  died.  And  the  servants  of  David 
feared  to  tell  him  that  the  child  was  dead  :  for 
they  said,  Behold,  while  the  child  was  yet  alive, 
we  spake  unto  him,  and  he  would  not  hearken  un- 
to our  voice  :  how  will  he  then  vex  himself,  if  we 
tell  him  that  the  child  is  dead  ? 

But  when  David  saw  that  his  servants  whis- 
pered, David  perceived  that  the  child  was  dead  : 
therefore  David  said  unto  his  servants.  Is  the 
child  dead  ?  And  they  said,  He  is  dead.  Then 
David  arose  from  the  earth,  and  washed,  and 
anointed  himself,  and  changed  his  apparel,  and 
came  into  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  worship- 
ped :  then  he  came  to  his  own  house  ;  and  when 
he  required,  they  set  bread  before  him,  and  he 
did  eat. 

Then  said  his  servants  unto  him,  What  thing  is 
this  that  thou  hast  done  ?  thou  didst  fast  and 
weep  for  the  child,  while  it  was  alive  ;  but  when 
the  child  was  dead,  thou  didst  rise  and  eat  bread. 

And  he  said.  While  the  child  was  yet  aliv^I 
fasted  and  wept  :  for  I  said,  Who  can  tell  whether 
God  will  be  gracious  to   me,  that   the   child   may 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  7 

live?  But  now  he  is  dead,  wherefore  should  I 
fast  ?  can  I  bring  him  back  again  ?  I  shall  go  to 
him,  but  he  shall  not  return  to  me. 

(3)    2  Kings  iv.  18-37. 

And  when  the  child  was  grown,  it  fell  on  a  day, 
that  he  went  out  to  his  father  to  the  reapers. 
And  he  said  unto  his  father,  My  head,  my  head  ! 
And  he  said  to  a  lad,  Carry  him  to  his  mother. 
And  when  he  had  taken  him,  and  brought  him 
to  his  mother,  he  sat  on  her  knees  till  noon,  and 
then  died.  And  she  went  up,  and  laid  him  on  the 
bed  of  the  man  of  God,  and  shut  the  door  upon 
him,  and  went  out. 

And  she  called  unto  her  husband,  and  said, 
Send  me,  I  pray  thee,  one  of  the  young  men,  and 
one  of  the  asses,  that  1  may  run  to  the  man  of 
God,  and  come  again.  And  he  said.  Wherefore 
wilt  thou  go  to  him  to-day  ?  it  is  neither  new 
moon,  nor  sabbath.  And  she  said.  It  shall  be 
well. 

Then  she  saddled  an  ass,  and  said  to  her  ser- 
vant. Drive,  and  go  forward  ;  slack  not  thy  riding 
for  me,  except  I  bid  thee.  So  she  went  and  came 
unto  the  man  of  God  to  mount  Carmel. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  man  of  God  saw 
her  afar  off,  that  he  said  to  Gehazi  his  servant, 
Behold,  yonder  is  that  Shunammite  :  run  now,  I 
pray  thee,  to  meet  her,  and  say  unto  her,  Is  it 
well  with  thee  ?  it  is  well  with  thy  husband  ?  is  it 


8  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

well  with  the  child  ?  And  she  answered,  It  is 
well. 

And  when  she  came  to  the  man  of  God  to 
the  hill,  she  caught  him  by  the  feet  :  but  Gehazi 
came  near  to  thrust  her  away.  And  the  man  of 
God  said,  Let  her  alone  ;  for  her  soul  is  vexed 
within  her  :  and  the  Lord  hath  hid  it  from  me, 
and  hath  not  told  me.  Then  she  said,  Did  I  de- 
sire a  son  of  my  lord  ?  did  I  not  say.  Do  not  de- 
ceive me? 

Then  he  said  to  Gehazi.  Gird  up  thy  loins, 
and  take  my  staff  in  thine  hand,  and  go  thy 
way  :  if  thou  meet  any  man,  salute  him  not  ;  and 
if  any  salute  thee,  answer  him  not  again  :  and  lay 
my  staff  upon  the  face  of  the  child.  And  the 
mother  of  the  child  said,  As  the  Lord  liveth,  and 
as  thy  soul  liveth,  I  will  not  leave  thee.  And  he 
arose,  and  followed  her. 

And  Gehazi  passed  on  before  them,  and  laid 
the  staff  upon  the  face  of  the  child  ;  but  there 
was  neither  voice,  nor  hearing.  Wherefore  he 
went  again  to  meet  him,  and  told  him,  saying, 
The  child  is  not  awaked. 

And  when  Elisha  was  come  into  the  house,  be- 
hold, the  child  was  dead,  and  laid  upon  his  bed. 
He  went  in  therefore,  and  shut  the  door  upon 
them  twain,  and  prayed  unto  the  Lord.  And  he 
went  up,  and  lay  upon  the  child,  and  putjiis 
mouth  upon  his  mouth,  and  his  eyes  upon  his 
eyes,   and    his    hands    upon    his    hands  :  and   he 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  9 

stretched  himself  upon  the  child  ;  and  the  flesh 
of  the  child  waxed  warm.  Then  he  returned,  and 
walked  in  the  house  to  and  fro  ;  and  went  up, 
and  stretched  himself  upon  him  :  and  the  child 
sneezed  seven  times,  and  the  child  opened  his 
eyes. 

And  he  called  Gehazi,  and  said,  Call  this  Shu- 
namite.  So  he  called  her.  And  when  she  was 
come  in  unto  him,  he  said.  Take  up  thy  son. 
Then  she  went  in,  and  fell  at  his  feet,  and  bowed 
herself  to  the  ground,  and  took  up  her  son,  and 
went  out. 

III.     FOR   YOUNG   PEOPLE. 

(i)     John  xi. 

After  that  he  saith  unto  them,  Our  friend 
Lazarus  sleepeth  ;  but  I  go,  that  I  may  awake 
him  out  of  sleep.  Then  said  his  disciples,  Lord, 
if  he  sleep,  he  shall  do  well.  Howbeit  Jesus 
spake  of  his  death  :  but  they  thought  that  he 
had  spoken  of  taking  of  rest  in  sleep.  Then 
said  Jesus  unto  them  plainly,  Lazarus  is  dead. 
And  I  am  glad  for  your  sakes  that  I  was  not 
there,  to  the  intent  ye  may  believe  ;  nevertheless 
let  us  go  unto  him. 

Then  said  Thomas,  which  is  called  Didymus, 
unto  his  fellow  disciples,  Let  us  also  go,  that  we 
may  die  with  him. 

And  many  of  the   Jews   came   to   Martha   and 


lO  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

Mary,  to  comfort  them  concerning  their  brother. 
Then  Martha,  as  soon  as  she  heard  that  Jesus  was 
coming,  went  and  met  him  :  but  Mary  sat  still  in 
the  house.  Then  said  Martha  unto  Jesus,  Lord, 
if  thou  hadst  been  here,  my  brother  had  not  died. 
But  T  know,  that  even  now,  whatsoever  thou  wilt 
ask  of  God,  God  will  give  it  thee.  Jesus  saith 
unto  her,  Thy  brother  shall  rise  again.  Martha 
saith  unto  him,  I  know  that  he  shall  rise  again  in 
the  resurrection  at  the  last  day.  Jesus  said  unto 
her,  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life  :  he  that 
believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall 
he  live  :  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in 
me  shall  never  die. 

Then  when  Mary  was  come  where  Jesus  was, 
and  saw  him,  she  fell  down  at  his  feet,  saying  un- 
to him,  Lord,  if  thou  hadst  been  here,  my  brother 
had  not  died.  When  Jesus  therefore  saw  her 
weeping,  and  the  Jews  also  wxeping  which  came 
with  her,  he  groaned  in  the  spirit,  and  was 
troubled,  and  said.  Where  have  ye  laid  him  ? 
They  say  unto  him.  Lord,  come  and  see.  Jesus 
wept.  Then  said  the  Jews,  Behold  how  he  loved 
him  !  And  some  of  them'  said.  Could  not  this 
man,  which  opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  have 
caused  that  even  this  man  should  not  have  died  ? 

Jesus  therefore  again  groaning  in  himself  com- 
eth  to  the  grave.  It  was  a  cave,  and  a  stone  lay 
upon  it.  Jesus  said.  Take  ye  away  the  stone. 
Then  they  took  away  the  stone  from  the  place 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  II 

where  the  dead  was  laid.  And  Jesus  lifted  up 
his  eyes,  and  said,  Father,  I  thank  thee  that  thou 
hast  heard  me.  And  I  knew  that  thou  hearest 
me  always  :  but  because  of  the  people  which 
stand  by  I  said  it,  that  they  may  believe  that  thou 
hast  sent  me. 

And  when  he  thus  had  spoken,  he  cried  with  a 
loud  voice,  Lazarus,  come  forth.  And  he  that 
was  dead  came  forth,  bound  hand  and  foot  with 
graveclothes  ;  and  his  face  was  bound  about  with 
a  napkin.  Jesus  saith  unto  them.  Loose  him,  and 
let  him  go.  Then  many  of  the  Jews  which  came 
to  Mary,  and  had  seen  the  things  which  Jesus 
did,  believed  on  him. 

(2)     Ecc.  xii. 

Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy 
youth,  while  the  evil  days  come  not,  nor  the  years 
draw  nigh,  when  thou  shalt  say,  I  have  no  pleas- 
ure in  them  ;  while  the  sun,  or  the  light,  or  the 
moon,  or  the  stars,  be  not  darkened,  nor  the 
clouds  return  after  the  rain  :  in  the  day  when  the 
keepers  of  the  house  shall  tremble,  and  the  strong 
men  shall  bow  themselves,  and  the  grinders  cease 
because  they  are  few,  and  those  that  look  out  of 
the  windows  be  darkened. 

And  the  doors  shall  be  shut  in  the  streets, 
when  the  sound  of  the  grinding  is  low,  and  he 
shall  rise  up  at  the  voice  of  the  bird,  and  all  the 
daughters  of  music    shall  be  brought    low  ;  also 


12  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

when  they  shall  be  afraid  of  that  which  is  high, 
and  fears  shall  be  in  the  way,  and  the  almond 
tree  shall  flourish,  and  the  grass-hopper  shall  be 
a  burden,  and  desire  shall  fail  :  because  man 
goeth  to  his  long  home,  and  the  mourners  go 
about  the  streets  :  or  ever  the  silver  cord  be 
loosed,  or  the  golden  bowl  be  broken,  or  the 
pitcher  be  broken  at  the  fountain,  or  the  wheel 
broken  at  the  cistern.  Then  shall  the  dust  re- 
turn to  the  earth  as  it  was  :  and  the  spirit  shall 
return  unto  God  who  gave  it. 

Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter  : 
Fear  God,  and  keep  his  commandments  :  for  this 
is  the  whole  duty  of  man.  For  God  shall  bring 
every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret 
thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be  evil. 

(3)     Matt.  XXV. 

Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened 
unto  ten  virgins,  which  took  their  lamps,  and 
went  forth  to  meet  the  bridegroom.  And  five  of 
them  were  wise,  and  five  were  foolish.  They  that 
were  foolish  took  their  lamps,  and  took  no  oil 
with  them  :  but  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  vessels 
with  their  lamps. 

While  the  bridegroom  tarried,  they  all  slum- 
bered and  slept.  And  at  midnight  there  was  a 
cry  made,  Behold,  the  bridegroom  cometh  ;  go  ye 
out  to  meet  him. 

Then  all  those  virgins  arose,  and  trimmed  their 


SCRIP Ti'KAL  SERVICES.  13 

lamps.  And  the  foolish  said  unto  the  wise,  Give 
us  of  your  oil  ;  for  our  lamps  are  gone  out.  But 
the  wise  answered,  saying,  Not  so  ;  lest  there  be 
not  enough  for  us  and  you  :  but  go  ye  rather  to 
them  that  sell,  and  buy  for  yourselves.  And  while 
they  v/ent  to  buy,  the  bridegroom  came  ;  and  they 
that  were  ready  went  in  with  him  to  the  mar- 
riage :  and  the  door  was  shut. 

Afterward  came  also  the  other  virgins,  saying. 
Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us.  But  he  answered  and 
said.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  know  you  not. 

Watch  therefore  ;  for  ye  know  neither  the  day 
nor  the  hour  wherein  the  Son  of  man  cometh. 

(4)     Mark  v. 

And,  behold,  there  cometh  one  of  the  rulers  of 
the  synagogue,  Jairus  by  name  ;  and  when  he  saw 
him,  he  fell  at  his  feet,  and  besought  him  great- 
ly, saying.  My  little  daughter  lieth  at  the  point 
of  death  :  I  pray  thee,  come  and  lay  thy  hands  on 
her,  that  she  may  be  healed  ;  and  she  shall  live. 
And  Jesus  went  with  him  ;  and  much  people  fol- 
lowed him,  and  thronged  him. 

And  Jesus,  immediately  knowing  in  himself 
that  virtue  had  gone  out  of  him,  turned  him  about 
in  the  press,  and  said,  Who  touched  my  clothes  ? 
And  his  disciples  said  unto  him,  Thou  seest  the 
multitude  thronging  thee,  and  sayest  thou,  Who 
touched  me  ?  And  he  looked  round  about  to  see 
her  that  had  done  this  thing. 


i-j.  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

But  the  woman  leaiing  and  trembling,  knowing 
what  was  done  in  her,  came  and  fell  down  before 
him,  and  told  him  all  the  truth.  And  he  said 
unto  her,  Daughter,  thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
whole  ;  go  in  peace,  and  be  whole  of  thy  plague. 
While  he  yet  spake,  there  came  from  the  ruler  of 
the  synagogue's  house  certain  which  said,  Thy 
daughter  is  dead  ;  why  troublest  thou  the  Master 
any  further  ? 

»  As  soon  as  Jesus  heard  the  word  that  was  spo- 
ken, he  saith  unto  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  Be 
not  afraid,  only  believe.  And  he  suffered  no  man 
to  follow  him,  save  Peter,  and  James,  and  John, 
the  brother  of  James.  And  he  cometh  to  the 
house  of  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  and  seeth  the 
tumult,  and  them  that  wept  and  wailed  greatly. 
And  when  he  was  come  in,  he  saith  unto  them. 
Why  make  ye  this  ado,  and  weep  ?  the  damsel  is 
not  dead,  but  sleepeth.  And  they  laughed  him 
to  scorn. 

But  when  he  had  put  them  all  out,  he  taketh 
the  father  and  mother  of  the  damsel,  and  them 
that  were  with  him,  and  entereth  in  where  the 
damsel  was  lying.  And  he  took  the  damsel  by 
the  hand,  and  said  unto  her,  Talitha  cumi  ;  which 
is,  being  interpreted,  Damsel,  (I  say  unto  thee), 
arise. 

And  straightway  the  damsel  arose,  and  walked  ; 
for  she  was  of  the  age  of  twelve  years.  And  they 
were  astonished  with  a  great  astonishment.     And 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  15 

he  charged  them  straitly  that  no  man  should 
know  it  ;  and  commanded  that  something  should 
be  given  her  to  eat. 


IV.     FOR   CHRISTIAN    PERSONS. 

(i)     I  Pet.  i. 

Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  which  according  to  his  abundant 
mercy  hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively  hope 
by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead, 
to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled, 
and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for 
you.  Who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through 
faith  unto  salvation  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the 
last  time.  Wherein  ye  greatly  rejoice,  though 
now  for  a  season,  if  need  be,  ye  are  in  heaviness 
through  manifold  temptations  :  that  the  trial  of 
your  faith,  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold 
that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  with  fire,  might 
be  found  unto  praise  and  honour  and  glory  at  the 
appearing  of  Jesus  Christ  :  whom  having  not 
seen,  ye  love  ;  in  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him 
not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable 
and  full  of  glory  :  receiving  the  end  of  your  faith 
even  the  salvation  of  your  souls. 

Wherefore  gird  up  the  loins  of  your  mind,  be 
sober,  and  hope  to  the  end  for  the  grace  that  is 


1 6  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

to  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ  ;  as  obedient  children,  not  fashioning  your- 
selves according  to  the  former  lusts  in  your  igno- 
rance :  but  as  he  which  hath  called  you  is  holy,  so 
be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  ;  because 
it  is  written,  Be  ye  holy  ;   for  I  am  holy. 

And  if  ye  call  on  the  Father,  who  without  re- 
spect of  persons  judgeth  according  to  every  man's 
work,  pass  the  time  of  your  sojourning  here  in 
fear  :  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  ye  were  not 
redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and 
gold,  from  your  vain  conversation  received  by 
tradition  from  your  fathers  ;  but  with  the  pre- 
cious blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blem- 
ish and  without  spot  :  who  verily  was  foreordained 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  but  was 
manifest  in  these  last  times  for  you,  who  by 
him  do  believe  in  God,  that  raised  him  up  from 
the  dead,  and  gave  him  glory  ;  that  your  faith  and 
hope  might  be  in  God.  Seeing  ye  have  purified 
your  souls  in  obeying  the  truth  through  the  Spirit 
unto  unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren,  see  that  ye 
love  one  another  with  a  pure  heart  fervently  :  be- 
ing born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  in- 
corruptible, by  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth  and 
abideth  forever. 

For  all  flesh  is  as  grass,  and  all  the  glory  of 
man  as  the  flower  of  grass.  The  grass  witli^eth, 
and  the  flower  thereof  falleth  away  :  but  the 
word  of  the  Lord  endureth  forever.     And  this  is 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  17 

the  word  which  by  the  gospel  is  preached   unto 
you. 

(2)     John  xiv. 

Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled  :  ye  beHeve  in 
God,  believe  also  in  me.  In  my  Father's  house 
are  many  mansions  :  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would 
have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you. 
And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will 
come  again,  and  receive  you  unto  myself  ;  that 
where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  also.  And  whither 
I  go  ye  know,  and  the  way  ye  know. 

Thomas  saith  unto  him.  Lord,  we  know  not 
whither  thou  goest  ;  and  how  can  we  know  the 
way  ?  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life  :  no  man  cometh  unto  the 
Father,  but  by  me.  If  ye  had  knoAvn  me,  ye 
should  have  known  my  Father  also  :  and  from 
henceforth  ye  know  him,  and  have  seen  him. 

Philip  saith  unto  him.  Lord,  shew  us  the 
Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us.  Jesus  saith  unto  him, 
Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast 
thou  not  known  me,  Philip  ?  he  that  hath  seen 
me  hath  seen  the  Father  ;  and  how  sayest  thou 
then.  Show  us  the  Father  ?  Believest  thou  not 
that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  m^e  ? 
the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you  I  speak  not  of 
myself  :  but  the  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me,  he 
doeth  the  works.  Believe  me  that  I  am  in  the 
Father,   and  the  Father  in  me  :    or  else  believe 


iS  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

me  for  the  very  works'  sake.  Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  the  works 
that  I  do  shall  he  do  also  ;  and  greater  works  than 
these  shall  he  do  ;  because  I  go  unto  my  Father. 
And  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name,  that 
will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the 
Son.  If  ye  shall  ask  anything  in  my  name,  I  will 
do  it. 

If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments.  And 
I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you 
another  Comforter,  that  he  may  abide  with  you 
forever  ;  even  the  Spirit  of  truth  ;  whom  the 
world  cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  him  not, 
neither  knoweth  him  :  but  ye  know  him  ;  for  he 
dwelleth  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you.  I  will 
not  leave  you  comfortless  :   I  will  come  to  you. 

(3)     I  Cor.  XV. 

Moreover,  brethren,  I  declare  unto  you  the 
gospel  which  I  preached  unto  you,  which  also  ye 
have  received,  and  wherein  ye  stand  ;  by  which 
also  ye  are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in  memory  what  I 
preached  unto  you,  unless  ye  have  believed  in 
vain.  For  I  delivered  unto  you  first  of  all  that 
which  I  also  received,  how  that  Christ  died  for 
our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures  :  and  that  he 
was  buried,  and  that  he  rose  again  the  third  day 
according' to  the  Scriptures  ; 

But  some  man  will  say,  How  are  the  dead  raised 
up  .''  and  with  what  body  do  they  come  ?     Thou 


SCRIPTURAL   SERVICES.  19 

fool,  that  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened, 
except  it  die  :  and  that  which  thou  sowest,  thou 
sowest  not  that  body  that  shall  be,  but  bare  grain, 
it  may  chance  of  wheat,  or  of  some  other  grain  : 
but  God  giveth  it  a  body  as  it  hath  pleased  him, 
and  to  every  seed  his  own  body. 

So  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  It  is 
sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised  in  incorruption  :  it 
is  sown  in  dishonor,  it  is  raised  in  glory  :  it  is 
sown  in  weakness,  it  is  raised  in  power  :  it  is  sown 
a  natural  body,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body. 
There  is  a  natural  body,  and  there  is  a  spiritual 
body. 

As  is  the  earthy,  such  are  they  also  that  are 
earthy  :  and  as  is  the  heavenly,  such  are  they  also 
that  are  heavenly.  And  as  we  have  borne  the 
image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image 
of  the  heavenly.  Now  this  I  say,  brethren,  that 
flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God  ;  neither  doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption. 

Behold,  I  show  you  a  mystery  :  We  shall  not 
all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  mo- 
ment, in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last 
trump  :  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead 
shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be 
changed.  For  this  corruptible  must  put  on  in- 
corruption, and  this  mortal  must  put  on  immor- 
tality. So  when  this  corruptible  shall  have  put 
on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  have  put  on 
im.mortality,   then   shall  be  brought  to  pass  the 


30  THE  BURIAL   OF   LI  IE  DEAD. 

saying  that  is  written,  Death  is  swallowed  up  in 
victory. 

0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  O  grave,  where  is 
thy  victory  ?  The  sting  of  death  is  sin  ;  and  the 
strength  of  sin  is  the  lav/.  But  thanks  be  to 
God,  which  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Therefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  stead- 
fast, unmoveable,  always  abounding  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your 
labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

(4)     I  Thess.  iv.  and  v. 

1  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren, 
concerning  them  which  are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow 
not,  even  as  others  which  have  no  hope.  For  if 
we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  even 
so  them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring 
with  him.  For  this  we  say  unto  you  by  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  that  we  which  are  alive,  and  remain 
unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  shall  not  prevent 
them  which  are  asleep. 

For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and 
with  the  trump  of  God  :  and  the  dead  in  Christ 
shall  rise  first  :  then  we  which  are  alive  and  re- 
main, shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in 
the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air  :  ^d  so 
shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord.  Wherefore  com- 
fort one  another  with  these  words. 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  2i 

But  ye,  brethren,  are  not  in  darkness,  that  that 
day  should  overtake  you  as  a  thief.  Ye  are  all 
the  children  of  light,  and  the  children  of  the  day: 
we  are  not  of  the  night,  nor  of  darkness. 

But  let  us,  who  are  of  the  day,  be  sober,  put- 
ting on  the  breastplate  of  faith  and  love  ;  and  for 
a  helmet,  the  hope  of  salvation.  For  God  hath 
not  appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salvation 
by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  us,  that, 
whether  we  wake  or  sleep,  we  should  live  together 
with  him. 

(5)     From  tJic  Book  of  Revelation. 

And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying  unto 
me.  What  are  these  which  are  arrayed  in  white 
robes  ?  and  whence  came  they  ?  And  I  said  unto 
him,  Sir,  thou  knowest.  And  he  said  to  me, 
These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribula- 
tion, and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  There- 
fore are  they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and 
serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple  :  and  he 
that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell  among 
them.  They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst 
any  more  ;  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them, 
nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall 
lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters  :  and 
God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes. 

And   I   looked,  and,  lo,  a   Lamb   stood   on   the 


22  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

mount  Sion,  and  with  him  a  hundred  forty  and 
four  thousand,  having  his  Father's  name  written 
in  their  foreheads.  And  I  heard  a  voice  from 
heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the 
voice  of  a  great  thunder  :  and  I  heard  the  voice 
of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps  :  and  they 
sung  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  the  throne,  and 
before  the  four  beasts,  and  the  elders  :  and  no 
man  could  learn  that  song  but  the  hundred  and 
forty  and  four  thousand,  which  were  redeemed 
from  the  earth. 

And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto 
me,  Write,  blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord  from  henceforth  :  yea,  saith  the  Spirit, 
that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors  ;  and  their 
works  do  follow  them.  And  I  saw  as  it  were  a 
sea  of  glass  mingled  with  fire  :  and  them  that  had 
gotten  the  victory  over  the  beast,  and  over  his 
image,  and  over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number 
of  his  name,  stand  on  the  sea  of  glass,  having  the 
harps  of  God.  And  they  sing  the  song  of  Moses 
the  servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb, 
saying,  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works',  Lord 
God  Almighty  ;  just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou 
King  of  saints. 

And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  saying. 
Praise  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye  that 
fear  him,  both  small  and  great.  And  I  heard  as 
it  were  the  voice  af  a  great  multitude,  and  as  the 
voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mighty 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  23 

thunderings,  saying,  Alleluia  :  for  the  Lord  God 
omnipotent  reigneth.  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice, 
and  give  honour  to  him  :  for  the  marriage  of  the 
Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself 
ready.  And  to  her  was  granted  that  she  should 
be  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white  :  for  the 
fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints.  And  he 
saith  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  they  which  are 
called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb. 
And  he  saith  unto  me.  These  are  the  true  sayings 
of  God. 


V.  GENERAL   SERVICES. 

(i)     Ps.  xc. 

Lord,  thou  has  been  our  dwellingplace  in  all 
generations.  Before  the  mountains  were  brought 
forth,  or  ever  thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and 
the  world,  even  from  everlasting  to  everlasting, 
thou  art  God.  Thou  turnest  man  to  destruction; 
and  sayest,  Return,  ye  children  of  men.  For  a 
thousand  years,  in  thy  sight,  are  but  as  yesterday 
when  it  is  past,  and  as  a  watch  in  the  night. 

Thou  earnest  them  away  as  with  a  flood  ;  they 
are  as  a  sleep  :  in  the  morning  they  are  like  grass 
which  groweth  up.  In  the  morning  it  flourisheth, 
and  groweth  up  ;  in  the  evening  it  is  cut  down, 
and  withereth.  For  we  are  consumed  by  thine 
anger,  and  by  thy  wTath  are  wc  troubled.      Thou 


24    .  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

hast  set  our  iniquities  before  thee,  our  secret  sins 
in  the  light  of  thy  countenance. 

For  all  our  days  are  passed  away  in  thy  wrath  : 
we  spend  our  years  as  a  tale  that  is  told.  The 
days  of  our  years  are  threescore  years  and  ten  ; 
and  if  by  reason  of  strength  they  be  fourscore 
years,  yet  is  their  strength  labour  and  sorrow  ;  for 
it  is  soon  cut  off,  and  we  fly  away.  Who  know- 
eth  the  power  of  thine  anger  ?  even  according  to 
thy  fear,  so  is  thy  wrath.  So  teach  us  to  number 
our  days,  that  we  ma}/"  apply  our  hearts  unto  wis- 
dom. 

Return,  O  Lord,  how  long  ?  and  let  it  repent 
thee  concerning  thy  servants.  O  satisfy  us  earl)^ 
with  thy  mercy  ;  that  we  may  rejoice  and  be  glad 
all  our  days.  Make  us  glad  according  to  the  days 
wherein  thou  hast  afflicted  us,  and  the  years 
wherein  we  have  seen  evil.  Let  thy  work  appear 
unto  thy  servants,  and  thy  glory  unto  their  chil- 
dren. And  let  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  our  God  be 
upon  us  :  and  establish  thou  the  work  of  our 
hands  upon  us  ;  yea,  the  work  of  our  hands  estab- 
lish thou  it. 

(2)     2  Cor.  iv.  and  v. 

For  we  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus 
the  Lord  ;  and  ourselves  your  servants  for  Jesus' 
sake.  For  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to 
shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts, 
to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICED.  25 

God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  we  have 
tliis  treasure  in  earthen  vessels,  that  the  excel- 
lency of  the  power  may  be  of  God,  and  not  of  us. 

We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  dis- 
tressed ;  we  are  perplexed,  but  not  in  despair  ; 
persecuted,  but  not  forsaken  ;  cast  down,  but  not 
destroyed  ;  always  bearing  about  in  the  body  the 
dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  also  of  Je- 
sus might  be  made  manifest  in  our  body. 

For  which  cause  we  faint  not  ;  but  though  our 
outward  man  perish,  yet  the  inward  man  is  re- 
newed day  by  day.  For  our  light  affliction,  wdiich 
is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more 
exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  ;  wdiile  we 
look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the 
things  wdiich  are  not  seen  :  for  the  things  which 
are  seen  are  temporal  ;  but  the  things  which  are 
not  seen  are  eternal. 

For  we  know  that,  if  our  earthly  house  of  this 
tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of 
God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens.  For  in  this  we  groan  earnestly,  desiring 
to  be  clothed  upon  with  our  house  which  is  from 
heaven  :  if  so  be  that  being  clothed  we  shall  not 
be  found  naked.  For  we  that  are  in  this  taber- 
nacle do  groan,  being  burdened  :  not  for  that  we 
would  be  unclothed,  but  clothed  upon,  that  mor- 
tality might  be  swallowed  up  of  life. 

Now  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for  the  selfsame 
thing  is  God,  who   also   hath   given    unto    us    the 


26  THE  BURIAL   OF  THE  DEAD. 

earnest  of-  the  Spirit.  Therefore  we  are  ahvays 
confident,  knowing  that,  whilst  we  are  at  home  in 
the  body,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord  :  (for  we 
walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight  :)  we  are  confident,  I 
say,  and  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the 
body,  and  to  be  present  with  the  Lord.  Where- 
fore we  labour,  that,  whether  present  or  absent, 
we  may  be  accepted  of  him. 

For  we  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment 
seat  of  Christ  ;  that  every  one  may  receive  the 
things  done  in  his  body,  according  to  that  he  hath 
done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad. 

Knowing  therefore  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we 
persuade  men  ;  but  we  are  made  manifest  unto 
God  ;  and  I  trust  also  are  made  manifest  in  your 
consciences. 

For  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us  ;  because 
we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were 
all  dead  :  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they 
which  live  should  not  henceforth  Jive  unto  them- 
selves,  but   unto  him   which   died   for  them,  and 


(3)      I  Cor.  XV. 

Moreover,  brethren,  I  declare  unto  you  the 
gospel  which  I  preached  unto  you,  which  also  ye 
have  received,  and  wherein  ye  stand  ;  by  which 
also  ye  are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in  memory  what  I 
preached  unto  you,  unless  ye  have  believed  in 
vain. 


SCRIPTURAL   SERVICES.  27 

For  I  delivered  unto  you  first  of  all  that  which 
I  also  received,  how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins 
according  to  the  Scriptures  ;  and  that  he  was 
buried,  and  that  he  rose  again  the  third  day 
according  to  the  Scriptures  :  and  that  he  was  seen 
of  Cephas,  then  of  the  twelve  :  after  that,  he  was 
seen  of  above  five  hundred  brethren  at  once  ;  of 
whom  the  greater  part  remain  unto  this  present, 
but  some  are  fallen  asleep.  After  that,  he  was 
seen  of  James  ;  then  of  all  the  apostles.  i\nd 
last  of  all  he  was  seen  of  me  also,  as  of  one  born 
out  of  due  time.  For  I  am  the  least  of  the  apos- 
tles, that  I  am  not  meet  to  be  called  an  apostle, 
because  I  persecuted  the  church  of  God.  But  by 
the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am  :  and  his  grace 
which  was  bestowed  upon  me  was  not  in  vain  ; 
but  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than  they  all  : 
yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was  with 
me.  Therefore  whether  it  were  I  or  they,  so  we 
preach,  and  so  ye  believed. 

Now  if  Christ  be  preached  that  he  rose  from 
the  dead,  how  say  some  among  you  that  there  is 
no  resurrection  of  the  dead  ?  But  if  there  be  no 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  then  is  Christ  not  risen  : 
and  if  Christ  be  not  risen,  then  is  our  preaching 
vain,  and  your  faith  is  also  vain.  Yea,  and  we 
are  found  false  witnesses  of  God  ;  because  we 
have  testified  of  God  that  he  raised  up  Christ  : 
whom  he  raised  not  up,  if  so  be  that  the  dead 
rise  not.      For  if  the   dead   rise   not,  then   is  not 


28  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

Christ  raised  :  and  if  Christ  be  not  raised,  your 
faith  is  vain  ;  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins.  Then  they 
also  which  are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ  are  per- 
ished. 

(4)     I  Cor.  XV.      SjContiimcd.^ 

If  in  this  life  only  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we 
are  of  all  men  most  miserable.  But  now  is  Christ 
risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first-fruits  of 
them  that  slept.  For  since  by  man  came  death, 
by  man  came  also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead. 
For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all 
be  made  alive.  But  every  man  in  his  own  order  : 
Christ  the  first-fruits  ;  afterward  they  that  are 
Christ's  at  his  coming. 

Then  cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall  have  de- 
livered up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father  ; 
when  he  shall  have  put  down  all  rule,  and  all 
authority  and  power.  For  he  must  reign,  till  he 
hath  put  all  enemies  under  his  feet.  The  last 
enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death.  For  he 
hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet. 

But  when  he  saith,  All  things  are  put  under 
him,  it  is  manifest  that  he  is  excepted,  which  did 
put  all  things  under  him.  And  when  all  things 
shall  be  subdued  unto  him,  then  shall  the  Son 
also  himself  be  subject  unto  him  that  put  all 
things  under  him,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all. 
Else  what  shall  they  do  which  are  baptized  for 
the  dead,  if  the  dead  rise  not  at  all  ?  why  are  they 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  29 

then  baptized  for  the  dead  ?  And  why  stand  we 
in  jeopardy  every  hour  ? 

I  protest  by  your  rejoicing  which  I  have  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  I  die  daily.  If  after  the 
manner  of  men  I  have  fought  with  beasts  at 
Ephesus,  wdiat  advantageth  it  me,  if  the  dead  rise 
not  ?  let  us  eat  and  drink  ;   for  to-morrow  we  die. 

Be  not  deceived  :  evil  communications  corrupt 
good  manners.  Awake  to  righteousness,  and  sin 
not  ;  for  some  have  not  the  knowledge  of  God  : 
I  speak  this  to  your  shame. 

(5)     Job  iv.-v. 

In  thoughts  from  the  visions  of  the  night,  wdien 
deep  sleep  falleth  on  men,  fear  came  upon  me, 
and  trembling,  W'hich  made  all  my  bones  to 
shake. 

Then  a  spirit  passed  before  my  face  ;  the 
hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up  :  it  stood  still,  but  I 
could  not  discern  the  form  thereof  :  an  image 
was  before  mine  eyes,  there  was  silence,  and  I 
heard  a  voice,  saying,  Shall  mortal  man  be  more 
just  than  God  ?  shall  a  man  be  more  pure  than 
his  Maker  ?  Behold,  he  put  no  trust  in  his  ser- 
vants ;  and  his  angels  he  charged  with  folly  :  how 
much  less  in  them  that  dwell  in  houses  of  clay, 
whose  foundation  is  in  the  dust,  which  are  crushed 
before  the  moth  ? 

Although  affliction  cometh  not  forth  of  the 
dust,    neither    doth    trouble    spring    out    of    the 


so  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

ground  ;  yet  man  is  born  unto  trouble,  as  the 
sparks  fly  upward.  I  would  seek  unto  God,  and 
unto  God  would  I  commit  my  cause  : 

Behold,  happy  is  the  man  whomi  God  correcteth : 
therefore  despise  not  thou  the  chastening  of  the 
Almighty  :  for  he  maketh  sore,  and  bindeth  up  : 
he  woundeth,  and  his  hands  make  wdiole.  He  shall 
deliver  thee  in  six  troubles  :  yea,  in  seven  there 
shall  no  evil  touch  thee.  In  famine  he  shall  re- 
deem thee  from  death  :  and  in  war  from  the 
power  of  the  sword.  Thou  shalt  be  hid  from  the 
scourge  of  the  tongue  :  neither  shalt  thou  be 
afraid  of  destruction  when  it  cometh.  At  de- 
struction and  famine  thou  shalt  laugh  :  neither 
shalt  thou  be  afraid  of  the  beasts  of  the  earth. 

For  thou  shalt  be  in  league  with  the  stones  of 
the  field  :  and  the  beasts  of  the  field  shall  be  at 
peace  with  thee.  And  thou  shalt  know  that  thy 
tabernacle  shall  be  in  peace  ;  and  thou  shalt  visit 
thy  habitation,  and  shalt  not  sin.  Thou  shalt 
know  also  that  thy  seed  shall  be  great,  and  thine 
offspring  as  the  grass  of  the  earth.  Thou  shalt 
come  to  thy  grave  in  a  full  age,  like  as  a  shock  of 
corn  cometh  in  in  his  season. 

(6)     Ps.  xlix. 

Hear  this,  all  ye  people  ;  give  ear,  all  ye  iniiab- 
itants  of  the  world  ;  both  low  and  high,  rich  and 
poor,  together.  My  mouth  shall  speak  of  wis- 
dom ;  and  the  m.editation  of  my  heart  shall  be  of 


SCRIPTURAL   SERVICES.  31 

understanding.      I  will  incline  mine  ear  to  a  para- 
ble :   I  will  open  my  dark  saying  upon  the  harp. 

Wherefore  should  I  fear  in  the  days  of  evil, 
when  the  iniquity  of  my  heels  shall  compass  me 
about  ?  They  that  trust  in  their  wealth,  and 
boast  themselves  in  the  multitude  of  their  riches  ; 
none  of  them  can  by  any  means  redeem  his 
brother,  nor  give  to  God  a  ransom  for  him  :  (for 
the  redemption  of  their  soul  is  precious,  and  it 
ceaseth  forever  :)  that  he  should  still  live  for- 
ever, and  not  see  corruption. 

For  he  seeth  that  wise  men  die,  likewise  the 
fool  and  the  brutish  person  perish,  and  leave  their 
wealth  to  others.  Their  inward  thought  is,  that 
their  houses  shall  continue  forever,  and  their 
dwelling-places  to  all  generations  ;  they  call  their 
lands  after  their  own  names.  Nevertheless  man 
being  in  honour  abideth  not  :  he  is  like  the  beasts 
that  perish.  This  their  way  is  their  folly  :  yet 
their  posterity  approve  their  sayings. 

Like  sheep  they  are  laid  in  the  grave  ;  death 
shall  feed  on  them  ;  and  the  upright  shall  have 
dominion  over  them  in  the  morning  ;  and  their 
beauty  shall  consume  in  the  grave  from  their 
dwelling.  But  God  will  redeem  my  soul  from  the 
power  of  the  grave  :  for  he  shall  receive  me. 

Be  not  thou  afraid  when  one  is  made  rich,  when 
the  glory  of  his  house  is  increased  ;  for  when  he 
dieth  he  shall  carry  nothing  away  :  his  glory  shall 
not  descend   after  him.     Though  while  he  lived 


32  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

he  blessed  his  soul,  (and  men  will  praise  thee, 
when  thou  doest  well  to  thyself,)  he  shall  go  to  the 
generation  of  his  fathers  ;  they  shall  never  see  light. 
Man  that  is  in  honour,  and  understandeth  not, 
is  like  the  beasts  that  perish. 

(7)     Job  xiv. 

Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman  is  of  few  days,  and 
full  of  trouble.  He  cometh  forth  like  a  flower, 
and  is  cut  down  :  he  fleeth  also  as  a  shadow,  and 
continueth  not.  And  dost  thou  open  thine  eyes 
upon  such  a  one,  and  bringest  me  into  judgment 
with  thee  ?  Who  can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of 
an  unclean  ?  not  one.  Seeing  his  days  are  deter- 
mined, the  number  of  his  months  are  with  thee, 
thou  hast  appointed  his  bounds  that  he  cannot 
pass  ;  turn  from  him,  that  he  may  rest,  till  he 
shall  accomplish,  as  an  hireling,  his  day. 

For  there  is  hope  of  a  tree,  if  it  be  cut  down, 
that  it  will  sprout  again,  and  that  the  tender 
branch  thereof  will  not  cease.  Though  the  root 
thereof  wax  old  in  the  earth,  and  the  stock 
thereof  die  in  the  ground  ;  yet  through  the  scent 
of  water  it  will  bud,  and  bring  forth  boughs  like 
a  plant.  But  man  dieth,  and  wasteth  away  :  yea, 
man  giveth  up  the  ghost,  and  where  is  he  ?  As 
the  waters  fail  from  the  sea,  and  the  flood  decay- 
eth  and  drieth  up  ;  so  man  lieth  down,  and  riseth 
not  :  till  the  heavens  be  no  more,  they  shall  not 
awake,  nor  be  raised  out  of  their  sleep. 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  2il 

Oh  that  thou  wouldest  hide  me  in  the  s^rave, 
that  thou  wouldest  keep  me  secret,  until  thy 
wrath  be  past,  that  thou  wouldest  appoint  me  a 
set  time,  and  remember  me  ! 

If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live  again  ?  all  the  days  of 
my  appointed  time  will  I  wait,  till  my  change 
come.  Thou  shalt  call,  and  I  will  answer  thee  : 
thou  wilt  have  a  desire  to  the  work  of  thine 
hands.  For  now  thou  numberest  my  steps  :  dost 
thou  not  watch  over  my  sin  ?  My  transgression 
is  sealed  up  in  a  bag,  and  thou  sewest  up  mine 
iniquity. 

And  surely  the  mountain  falling  cometh  to 
nought,  and  the  rock  is  removed  out  of  his  place. 
The  waters  wear  the  stones  :  thou  washest  away 
the  things  which  grow  out  of  the  dust  of  the 
earth  ;  and  thou  destroyest  the  hope  of  man. 
Thou  prevailest  forever  against  him,  and  he  pass- 
eth  :  thou  changest  his  countenance,  and  sendest 
him  away. 

(8)     From  Ecclesiastes. 

The  words  of  the  Preacher,  the  son  of  David, 
king  in  Jerusalem.  Vanity  of  vanities,  saith  the 
Preacher,  vanity  of  vanities  ;  all  is  vanity.  What 
profit  hath  a  man  of  all  his  labour  which  he  taketh 
under  the  sun  ?  One  generation  passeth  away, 
and  another  generation  cometh  :  but  the  earth 
abideth  forever.  The  sun  also  ariseth,  and  the 
sun  goeth  down,  and  hasteth  to  his  place  where 


34  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

he  arose.  The  wind  goeth  toward  the  south,  and 
turneth  about  unto  the  north  ;  it  whirleth  about 
continually,  and  the  wind  returneth  again  accord- 
ing to  his  circuits.  All  the  riv'ers  run  into  the 
sea  ;  yet  the  sea  is  not  full  :  unto  the  place  from 
whence  the  rivers  come,  thither  they  return  again. 
All  things  are  full  of  labour  ;  man  cannot  utter  it  : 
the  eye  is  not  satisfied  with  seeing,  nor  the  ear 
filled  with  hearing.  The  thing  that  hath  been,  it 
is  that  which  shall  be  ;  and  that  which  is  done  is 
that  which  shall  be  done  :  and  there  is  no  new 
thing  under  the  sun.  Is  there  any  thing  whereof 
it  may  be  said,  See,  this  is  new^  1  It  hath  been 
already  of  old  time,  which  w^as  before  us. 

I  know  that,  whatsoever  God  doeth,  it  shall  be 
forever  :  nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing 
taken  from  it  :  and  God  doeth  it,  that  men  should 
fear  before  him.  That  which  hath  been  is  now  ; 
and  that  wdiich  is  to  be  hath  already  been  ;  and 
God  requireth  that  which  is  past.  I  said  in  mine 
heart,  God  shall  judge  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked  :  for  there  is  a  time  there  for  every  pur- 
pose, and  for  every  work. 

All  go  unto  one  place  ;  all  are  of  the  dust,  and 
all  turn  to  dust  again.  Who  knoweth  the  spirit 
of  man  that  goeth  upward,  and  the  spirit  of  the 
beast  that  goeth  downward  to  the  earth  ?    ^^^ 

That  which  hath  been  is  named  already,  and  it 
is  known  that  it  is  man  :  neither  may  he  contend 
with  him  that  is  mightier  than  he.      Seeing  there 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  35 

be  many  things  that  increase  vanity,  what  is  man 
the  better  ?  For  who  knoweth  what  is  good  for 
man  in  this  life,  all  the  days  of  his  vain  life  which 
he  spendeth  as  a  shadow  ?  for  who  can  tell  a  man 
what  shall  be  after  him  under  the  sun  ? 

A  good  name  is  better  than  precious  ointment; 
and  the  day  of  death  than  the  day  of  one's  birth. 
It  is  better  to  go  to  the  house  of  mourning,  than 
to  go  to  the  house  of  feasting  :  for  that  is  the  end 
of  all  men  ;  and  the  living  will  lay  it  to  his  heart. 
Sorrow  is  better  than  laughter  :  for  by  the  sad- 
ness of  the  countenance  the  heart  is  made  better. 
The  heart  of  the  wise  is  in  the  house  of  mourn- 
ing ;  but  the  heart  of  fools  is  in  the  house  of 
mirth. 

There  is  no  man  that  hath  power  over  the  spirit 
to  retain  the  spirit  ;  neither  hath  he  power  in  the 
day  of  death  :  and  there  is  no  discharge  in  that 
war  ;  neither  shall  wickedness  deliver  those  that 
are  given  to  it. 

It  is  good  that  thou  shouldest  take  hold  of 
this  ;  yea,  also  from  this  withdraw  not  thine 
hand  :  for  he  that  feareth  God  shall  come  forth 
of  them  all. 

This  is  an  evil  among  all  things  that  are  done 
under  the  sun,  that  there  is  one  event  unto  all  : 
yea,  also  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  full  of 
evil,  and  madness  is  in  their  heart  while  they  live, 
and  after  that  they  go  to  the  dead.  For  to  him 
that  is  joined  to  all  the  living  there  is  hope  :   for 


36  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD.  . 

a  living  dog  is  better  than  a  dead  Han.  For  the 
living  know  that  they  shall  die  :  but  the  dead 
know  not  any  thing,  neither  have  they  any  more 
a  reward  ;  for  the  memory  of  them  is  forgotten. 
Also  their  love,  and  their  hatred,  and  their  envy, 
is  now  perished  :  neither  have  they  any  more  a 
portion  forever  in  any  thing  that  is  done  under 
the  sun. 

Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with 
thy  might  ;  for  there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor 
knowledge,  nor  wisdom,  in  the  grave,  whither 
thou  goest. 

Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the  whole 
matter  :  Fear  God,  and  keep  his  commandments  : 
for  this  is  the  whole  duty  of  man.  For  God  shall 
bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  se- 
cret thing,  whether  it  be  good,  or  whether  it  be 
evil. 

(9)     Matt.  XXV. 

When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory, 
and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he 
sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory  :  and  before  him 
shall  be  gathered  all  nations  :  and  he  shall  sepa- 
rate them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divi- 
deth  his  sheep  from  the  goats  :  and  he  shall  set 
the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  HiPi  the 
left. 

Then  shall  the  King  say  unto  them  on  his 
right   hand,  Come,  ye  blessed   of  my  Father,  in- 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  37 

herit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world  :  for  I  was  an  hungered,  and 
ye  gave  me  meat  :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me 
drink  :  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in  : 
naked,  and  ye  clothed  me  :  I  was  sick,  and  ye 
visited  me  :  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto 
me. 

Then  shall  the  righteous  answer  him,  saying, 
Lord,,  when  saw  we  thee  an  hungered,  and  fed 
thee  ?  or  thirsty,  and  gave  thee  drink  ?  when 
saw  we  thee  a  stranger,  and  took  thee  in  ?  or 
naked,  and  clothed  thee  ?  or  when  saw  Ave  thee 
sick,  or  in  prison,  and  came  unto  thee  ? 

And  the  King  shall  answer  and  say  unto  them, 
Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done 
it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
have  done  it  unto  me. 


VI.     SCRIPTURE    SELECTIONS. 

(i)     John  xvii. 

These  words  spake  Jesus,  and  lifted  up  his 
eyes  to  heaven,  and  said.  Father,  the  hour  is 
conie  ;  glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Son  also  may 
glorify  thee  :  as  thou  hast  given  him  power  over 
all  flesh,  that  he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as 
many  as  thou  hast  given  him.  And  this  is  life 
eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee  the  only  true 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent.      I 


38  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

have  glorified  thee  on  the  earth  :  I  have  finished 
the  work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do.  And 
now,  O  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own 
self  with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before 
the  world  was.  I  have  manifested  thy  name  unto 
the  men  which  thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world  : 
thine  they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them  me  ;  and 
they  have  kept  thy  word. 

Now  they  have  known  that  all  things  whatso- 
ever thou  hast  given  me  are  of  thee.  For  I  have 
given  unto  them  the  words  which  thou  gavest 
me  ;  and  they  have  received  them,  and  have 
known  surely  that  I  came  out  from  thee,  and 
they  have  believed  that  thou  didst  send  me. 

I  pray  for  them  :  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but 
for  them  which  thou  hast  given  me  ;  for  they  are 
thine.  And  all  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are 
mine  ;  and  I  am  glorified  in  them. 

And  now  I  am  no  more  in  the  world,  but  these 
are  in  the  world,  and  I  come  to  thee.  Holy 
Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name  those 
whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  be 
one,  as  we  are.  While  I  was  with  them  in  the 
world,  I  kept  them  in  thy  name  :  those  that  thou 
gavest  me  I  have  kept,  and  none  of  them  is  lost, 
but  the  son  of  perdition  ;  that  the  Scripture 
might  be  fulfilled.  v^ 

And  now^  come  I  to  thee  ;  and  these  things  I 
speak  in  the  world,  that  they  might  have  my  joy 
fulfilled  in   themselves.      I   have  given   them  thy 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  39 

word  ;  and  the  world  hath  hated  them,  because 
they  are  not  of  the  world,  even  as  I  am  not  of 
the  world.  I  pray  not  that  thou  shouldest  take 
them  out  of  the  world,  but  that  thou  shouldest 
keep  them  from  the  evil.  They  are  not  of  the 
world,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world.  Sanctify 
them  through  thy  truth  :  thy  word  is  truth.  As 
thou  hast  sent  me  into  the  world,  even  so  have  I 
also  sent  them  into  the  world.  And  for  their 
sakes  I  sanctify  myself,  that  they  also  might  be 
sanctified  through  the  truth. 

Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  ,for  them 
also  which  shall  believe  on  me  through  their 
word  ;  that  they  all  may  be  one  ;  as  thou, 
Father^  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also 
may  be  one  in  us  :  that  the  world  may  believe 
that  thou  hast  sent  me.  And  the  glory  which 
thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them  ;  that  they 
may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one  :  I  in  them,  and 
thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in 
one  ;  and  that  the  world  may  know  that  thou 
hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them,  as  thou  hast 
loved  me. 

Father,  I  will  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast 
given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am  ;  that  they 
may  behold  my  glory,  which  thou  hast  given  me  : 
for  thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world. 

O  righteous  Father,  the  world  hath  not  known 
thee  :   but   I    have   known   thee,   and   these   have 


40  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

known  that  thou  hast  sent  me.  And  I  have  de- 
clared unto  them  thy  name,  and  will  declare  it  ; 
that  the  love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me  may 
be  in  them,  and  I  in  them. 

(2)     Heb.  xii. 

Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth,  and 
scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth.  If  ye 
endure  chastening,  God  dealeth  with  you  as  with' 
sons  ;  for  what  son  is  he  whom  the  father  chas- 
teneth not  ?  But  if  ye  be  without  chatisement, 
whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  are  ye  not  sons. 

Furthermore,  we  have  had  fathers  of  our  flesh 
which  corrected  us,  and  we  gave  them  reverence  : 
shall  we  not  much  rather  be  in  subjection  unto 
the  Father  of  spirits,  and  live  ?  For  they  verily 
for  a  few  days  chastened  us  after  their  own  pleas- 
ure ;  but  he  for  our  profit,  that  we  might  be 
partakers  of  his  holiness. 

Now  no  chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to 
be  joyous,  but  grievous  :  nevertheless,  afterward 
it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteousness 
unto  them  which  are  exercised  thereby.  Where- 
fore lift  up  the  hands  which  hang  down,  and  the 
feeble  knees  ;  and  miake  straight  paths  for  3'our 
feet,  lest  that  which  is  lame  be  turned  out  of  the 
way  ;  but  let  it  rather  be  healed.  v^ 

Follow  peace  with  all  men,  and  holiness,  with- 
out which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord  : 

For  ye  are  not  come  unto  the  mount  that  might 


SCRIPTURAL  SERr/CES.  41 

be  touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire,  nor  unto 
blackness,  and  darkness,  and  tempest,  and  the 
sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  the  voice  of  words  ; 
which  voice  they  that  heard  entreated  that  the 
word  should  not  be  spoken  to  them  any  more  : 
(for  they  could  not  endure  that  which  was  com- 
manded, And  if  so  much  as  a  beast  touch  the 
mountain,  it  shall  be  stoned,  or  thrust  through 
with  a  dart  :  and  so  terrible  was  the  sight,  that 
Moses  said,  I  exceedingly  fear  and  quake  :)  but 
ye  are  come  unto  mount  Sion,  and  unto  the  city 
of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to 
an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the  general 
assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born,  which  are 
written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all, 
and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and 
to  Jesus  the  mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and 
to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better 
things  than  that  of  Abel. 

See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh  :  for 
if  they  escaped  not  who  refused  him  that  spake 
on  earth,  much  more  shall  not  we  escape,  if  v/e 
turn  away  frojn  him  that  speaketh  fromx  heaven. 

(3)      I  Thess.  iv. 

But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant, 
brethren,  concerning  them  which  are  asleep,  that 
ye  sorrow  not,  even  as  others  which  have  no  hope. 
For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again, 
even  so  them  also  which   sleep  in  Jesus  will   God 


42  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

bring  with  him.  For  this  we  say  unto  you  by 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  we  which  are  alive  and 
remain  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord  shall  not 
prevent  them  which  are  asleep. 

For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and 
with  the  trump  of  God  :  and  the  dead  in  Christ 
shall  rise  first  :  then  we  which  are  alive  and  re- 
main shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in 
the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air  :  and  so 
shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord. 

Wherefore  comfort  one  another  with  these 
words. 

(4)     Job  xxiii. 

Then  Job  answered  and  said,  Even  to-day  is 
my  complaint  bitter  :  my  stroke  is  heavier  than 
my  groaning.  Oh  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find 
him  !  that  I  might  come  even  to  his  seat  !  I 
would  order  my  cause  before  him,  and  fill  my 
mouth  with  arguments.  I  would  know  the  words 
which  he  would  answer  me,  and  understand  what 
he  would  say  unto  me. 

Will  he  plead  against  me  with  his  great  power  ? 
No  ;  but  he  would  put  strength  in  me.  There  the 
righteous  might  dispute  with  him  ;  so  should  I 
be  delivered  forever  from  my  judge.  v^ 

Behold,  I  go  forward,  but  he  is  not  there  ;  and 
backward,  but  I  cannot  perceive  him  :  on  the  left 
hand,  where  he  doth  work,  but  I  cannot  behold 


SCRIPTURAL  services:  43 

him  :  he  hideth  himself  on  the  right  hand,  that  I 
cannot  see  him  :  but  he  knoweth  the  way  that  I 
take  :  when  he  hath  tried  me,  I  shall  come  forth 
as  gold. 

My  foot  hath  held  his  steps,  his  way  have  I 
kept,  and  not  declined.  Neither  have  I  gone 
back  from  the  commandment  of  his  lips  ;  I  have 
esteemed  the  words  of  his  mouth  more  than  my 
necessary  food.  But  he  is  in  one  mind,  and  who 
can  turn  him  ?  and  what  his  soul  desireth,  even 
that  he  doeth.  For  he  performeth  the  thing  that 
is  appointed  for  me  :  and  many  such  things  are 
with  him. 

Therefore  am  I  troubled  at  his  presence  :  when 
I  consider,  I  am  afraid  of  him.  For  God  maketh 
my  heart  soft,  and  the  Almighty  troubleth  me  : 
because  I  was  not  cut  off  before  the  darkness, 
neither  hath  he  covered  the  darkness  from  my 
face. 

(5)     Ps.  xviii. 

I  will  love  thee,  O  Lord,  my  strength.  The 
Lord  is  my  rock,  and  my  fortress,  and  my  deliv- 
erer ;  my  God,  my  strength,  in  whom  I  will 
trust  ;  my  buckler,  and  the  horn  of  my  salvation, 
and  my  high  tower.  I  will  call  upon  the  Lord, 
who  is  worthy  to  be  praised. 

The  sorrows  of  death  compassed  me,  and  the 
floods  of  ungodly  men  made  me  afraid.  ^  The  sor- 
rows of  hell  compassed  me  about  :  the  snares  of 


44  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

death  prevented  me.  In  my  distress  I  called  up- 
on the  Lord,  and  cried  unto  my  God  :  he  heard 
my  voice  out  of  his  temple,  and  my  cry  came  be- 
fore him,  even  into  his  ears. 

He  sent  from  above,  he  took  me,  he  drew  me 
out  of  many  waters.  He  delivered  me  from  my 
strong  enemy.  He  brought  me  forth  also  into  a 
large  place  ;  he  delivered  me,  because  he  delight- 
ed in  me. 

For  I  have  kept  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  and  have 
not  wickedly  departed  from  my  God.  For  all  his 
judgments  were  before  me,  and  I  did  not  put  away 
his  statutes  from  me.  Therefore  hath  the  Lord 
recompensed  me  according  to  my  righteousness, 
according  to  the  cleanness  of  my  hands  in  his  eye- 
sight. 

With  the  merciful  thou  wilt  shew  thyself  merci- 
ful ;  with  an  upright  man  thou  wilt  shew  thyself 
upright  ;  w^ith  the  pure  thou  wilt  shew  thyself 
pure  ;  and  v/ith  the  froward  thou  wilt  shew  thy- 
self froward.  For  thou  wilt  save  the  afflicted 
people  ;  but  wilt  bring  down  high  looks.  For 
thou  wilt  light  my  candle  :  the  Lord  my  God  will 
enlighten  my  darkness. 

As  for  God,  his  way  is  perfect  :  the  word  of  the 
Lord  is  tried  :  he  is  a  buckler  to  all  those  that 
trust  in  him.  For  who  is  God  save  the  LoKd-?  or 
who  is  a  rock  save  our  God  ? 

It  is  God  that  girdeth  me  with  strength,  and 
maketh   my  way  perfect.      He    maketh  my  feet 


-SCRIPTURAL   SERVICES.  45 

like  hinds'  feet,  and  setteth  me  upon  my  high 
places. 

Thou  hast  also  given  me  the  shield  of  thy  salva- 
tion :  and  thy  right  hand  hath  holden  me  up,  and 
thy  gentleness  hath  made  me  great.  Thou  hast  en- 
larged my  steps  under  me,  that  my  feet  did  not  slip. 

The  Lord  liveth  ;  and  blessed  be  my  Rock  ; 
and  let  the  God  of  my  salvation  be  exalted. 

(6)  Ps.  XX. 

The  Lord  hear  thee  in  the  day  of  trouble  ;  the 
name  of  the  God  of  Jacob  defend  thee  ;  send  thee 
help  from  the  sanctuary,  and  strengthen  thee  out 
of  Zion  ;  remember  all  thy  offerings,  and  accept 
thy  burnt  sacrifice  ;  grant  thee  according  to  thine 
own  heart,  and  fulfil  all  thy  counsel.  We  will  re- 
joice in  thy  salvation,  and  in  the  name  of  our  God 
■we  will  set  up  our  banners  :  the  Lord  fulfil  all  thy 
petitions. 

Now  know  I  that  the  Lord  saveth  his  anointed; 
he  will  hear  him  from  his  holy  heaven  with  the 
saving  strength  of  his  right  hand. 

Some  trust  in  chariots,  and  some  in  horses  : 
but  we  will  remember  the  name  of  the  Lord  our 
God.  They  are  brought  down  and  fallen  :  but 
we  are  risen,  and  stand  upright. 

Save,  Lord  :  let  the  king  hear  us  when  we  call. 

(7)  Ps.  xxxiv.    ' 

I  will   bless  the   Lord  at  all  times  :  his  praise 


46  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

shall  continually  be  in  my  mouth.  My  soul  shall 
make  her  boast  in  the  Lord  :  the  humble  shall 
hear  thereof,  and  be  glad. 

O  magnify  the  Lord  with  me,  and  let  us  exalt 
his  name  together.  I  sought  the  Lord,  and  he 
heard  me,  and  delivered  me  from  all  my  fears. 
They  looked  unto  him,  and  were  lightened  :  and 
their  faces  were  not  ashamed.  This  poor  man 
cried,  and  the  Lord  heard  him,  and  saved  him 
out  of  all  his  troubles.  The  angel  of  the  Lord 
encampeth  round  about  them  that  fear  him,  and 
delivereth  them. 

O  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good  :  blessed 
is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  him.  O  fear  the 
Lord,  ye  his  saints  :  for  there  is  no  want  to  them 
that  fear  him.  The  young  lions  do  lack,  and 
suffer  hunger  :  but  they  that  seek  the  Lord  shall 
not  want  any  good  thing.  Come,  ye  children, 
hearken  unto  me  :  I  will  teach  you  the  fear  of 
the  Lord.  What  man  is  he  that  desireth  life,  and 
loveth  many  days,  that  he  may  see  good  ?  Keep 
thy  tongue  from  evil,  and  thy  lips  from  speaking 
guile.  Depart  from  evil,  and  do  good  ;  seek 
peace,  and  pursue  it. 

The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  upon  the  righteous, 
and  his  ears  are  open  unto  their  cry.  The  face  of 
the  Lord  is  against  them  that  do  evil,  to  citt-off 
the  remembrance  of  them  from  the  earth.  The 
righteous  cry,  and  the  Lord  heareth,  and  deliver- 
eth them   out  of  all  their  troubles.     The  Lord  is 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  47 

nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart  ;  and 
saveth  such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit. 

Many  are  the  afflictions  of  the  righteous  :  but 
the  -Lord  dehvereth  him  out  of  them  all.  He 
keepeth  all  his  bones  :  not  one  of  them  is  broken. 
Evil  shall  slay  the  wicked  :  and  they  that  hate  the 
righteous  shall  be  desolate. 

The  Lord  redeemeth  the  soul  of  his  servants  : 
and  none  of  them  that  trust  in  him  shall  be  deso- 
late. 

(8)     Ps.  xxxix. 

I  said,  I  will  take  heed  to  my  ways,  that  I  sin 
not  with  my  tongue  :  I  will  keep  my  mouth  with 
a  bridle,  while  the  wicked  is  before  me. 

I  was  dumb  with  silence,  I  held  my  peace,  even 
from  good  ;  and  my  sorrow  was  stirred.  My  heart 
was  hot  within  me  ;  while  I  was  musing  the  fire 
burned:  then  spake  I  with  my  tongue,  Lord,  make 
me  to  know  mine  end,  and  the  measure  of  my 
days,  what  it  is  ;  that  I  may  know  how  frail  I  am. 
Behold,  thou  hast  made  my  days  as  an  hand- 
breadth  ;  and  mine  age  is  as  nothing  before  thee  : 
verily  every  man  at  his  best  state  is  altogether 
vanity. 

Surely  every  man  walketh  in  a  vain  shew  : 
surely  they  are  disquieted  in  vain  :  he  heapeth  up 
riches,  and  knoweth  not  who  shall  gather  them. 
And  now,  Lord,  what  wait  I  for  ?  my  hope  is  in 
thee.      Deliver  me  from  all  my  transgressions  : 


48  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

make  me  not  the  reproach  of  the  foolish.  I  was 
dumb,  I.  opened  not  my  mouth  ;  because  thou 
didst  it.  Remove  thy  stroke  away  from  me  :  I 
am  consumed  by  the  blow  of  thine  hand.  When 
thou  with  rebukes  dost  correct  man  for  iniquity, 
thou  makest  his  beauty  to  consume  away  h'ke  a 
moth  :  surely  every  man  is  vanity. 

Hear  my  prayer,  O  Lord,  and  give  ear  unto 
my  cry  ;  hold  not  thy  peace  at  my  tears  :  for  I 
am  a  stranger  with  thee,  and  a  sojourner,  as  all 
my  fathers  were.  O  spare  me,  that  I  may  re- 
cover strength,  before  I  go  hence,  and  be  no  more. 

(9)     Ps.  Ixix. 

Save  me,  O  God  ;  for  the  waters  are  come  in 
unto  my  soul.  I  sink  in  deep  mire,  where  there 
is  no  standing  :  I  am  come  into  deep  waters, 
where  the  floods  overflow  me.  I  am  weary  of  my 
crying  :  my  throat  is  dried  :  mine  eyes  fail  while 
i  wait  for  my  God. 

O  God,  thou  knowest  my  foolishness  ;  and  my 
sins  are  not  hid  from  thee.  Let  not  them  that 
wait  on  thee,  O  Lord  God  of  hosts,  be  ashamed 
for  miy  sake  :  let  not  those  that  seek  thee  be  con- 
founded for  my  sake,  O  God  of  Israel. 

But  as  for  me,  my  prayer  is  unto  thee,  O  Lord, 
in  an  acceptable  time  :  O  God,  in  the  multitude 
of  thy  mercy  hear  me,  in  the  truth  of  thy  salva- 
tion. Deliver  me  out  of  the  mire,  and  let  me  not 
sink  :  let  me  be  delivered  out  of  the  deep  w^aters. 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  49 

Let  not  the  waterflood  overflow  me,  neither  let 
the  deep  swallow  me  up,  and  let  not  the  pit  shut 
her  mouth  upon  me. 

Hear  me,  O  Lord  ;  for  thy  loving  kindness  is 
good  :  turn  unto  me  according  to  the  multitude 
of  thy  tender  mercies.  And  hide  not  thy  face 
from  thy  servant  ;  for  I  am  in  trouble  :  hear  me 
speedily.  Draw  nigh  unto  my  soul,  and  redeem 
it  ;  I  am  poor  and  sorrowful  :  let  thy  salvation, 
O  God,  set  me  up  on  high. 

I  will  praise  the  name  of  God  with  a  song,  and 
will  magnify  him  with  thanksgiving.  This  also 
shall  please  the  Lord  better  than  an  ox  or  bul- 
lock that  hath  horns  and  hoofs.  The  humble 
shall  see  this,  and  be  glad  :  and  your  heart  shall 
live  that  seek  God. 

For  the  Lord  heareth  the  poor,  and  despiseth 
not  his  prisoners. 


VIL     THE    SERVICE    OF   THE    PROTES- 
TANT EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

The  Minister,  meeting  the  Corpse  and  going  before 
it,  shall  say, 
I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  saith  the 
Lord  :  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were 
dead,  yet  shall  he  live  :  and  whosoever  liveth  and 
believeth  in  me,  shall  never  die.  (St.  John  xi. 
25,  26.) 


50        THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he 
shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth.  And 
though  after  my  skin  worms  destroy  this  body, 
yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God  :  whom  I  shall 
see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and 
not  another.      (Job  xix.  25,  26,  27.) 

We  brought  nothing  into  this  world,  and  it  is 
certain  we  can  carry  nothing  out.  The  Lord 
gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away  ;  blessed 
be  the  Name  of  the  Lord,    (i  Tim.  vi.  7  ;  Job  i. 

21.) 

Then  shall  be  said  or  sung  the  folloiving  Anthem^ 
taken  from  the  '^gth  and  got h  Psalms. 

Lord,  let  me  know  my  end,  and  the  number  of 
my  days  ;  that  I  may  be  certified  how  long  I  have 
to  live. 

Behold,  thou  hast  made  my  days  as  it  were 
a  span  long,  and  mine  age  is  even  as  nothing  in 
respect  of  thee  ;  and  verily  every  man  living  is 
altogether  vanity. 

For  man  walketh  in  a  vain  shadow,  and  disqui- 
eteth  himself  in  vain  ;  he  heapeth  up  riches,  and 
cannot  tell  who  shall  gather  them. 

And  now.  Lord,  what  is  my  hope  ?  Truly  my 
hope  is  even  in  thee. 

Deliver  me  from  all  mine  offences  ;  and  ^n^ke 
me  not  a  rebuke  unto  the  foolish. 

When  thou  with  rebukes  dost  chasten  man  for 
sin,   thou  makest  his  beauty  to  consume  away, 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES  51 

like  as  it  were  a  moth  fretting  a  garment  :  every 
man  therefore  is  but  vanity. 

Hear  my  prayer,  O  Lord,  and  with  thine  ears 
consider  my  calling  ;  hold  not  thy  peace  at  my 
tears  ; 

For  I  am  a  stranger  with  thee,  and  a  sojourner, 
as  all  my  fathers  were. 

O  spare  me  a  little,  that  I  may  recover  my 
strength,  before  I  go  hence,  and  be  no  more  seen. 

Lord,  thou  hast  been  our  refuge,  from  one 
generation  to  another. 

Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth,  or 
ever  the  earth  and  the  world  were  made,  thou  art 
God  from  everlasting,  and  world  without  end. 

Thou  turnest  man  to  destruction  ;  again  thou 
sayest,  Come  again,  ye  children  of  men. 

For  a  thousand  years  in  thy  sight  are  but  as 
yesterday  ;  seeing  that  is  past  as  a  watch  in  the 
night. 

As  soon  as  thou  scatterest  them  they  are  even 
as  a  sleep  ;  and  fade  away  suddenly  like  the 
grass. 

In  the  morning  it  is  green,  and  groweth  up  ;  but 
in  the  evening  it  is  cut  down,  dried  up,  and  with- 
ered. 

For  we  consume  away  in  thy  displeasure  ;  and 
are  afraid  at  thy  wrathful  indignation. 

Thou  hast  set  our  misdeeds  before  thee  ;  and 
our  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  thy  countenance. 

For  when  thou  art  angry,  all  our  days  are  gone  : 


52  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

we  bring  our  years  to  an  end,  as  it  were  a  tale 
that  is  told. 

The  days  of  our  age  are  three-score  years  and 
ten  ;  and  though  men  be  so  strong  that  they  come 
to  four-score  years,  yet  is  their  strength  then  but 
labor  and  sorrow  ;  so  soon  passeth  it  away,  and 
we  are  gone. 

So  teach  us  to  number  our  days,  that  we  may 
apply  our  hearts  unto  wisdom. 

Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to 
the  Holy  Ghost  ; 

As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever 
shall  be,  world  without  end.     Amen. 


Then  shall  follow  the  Lesson  taken  from  the   i^th 
chapter  of  \st  Corinthians. 

Now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  becom.e 
the  first-fruits  of  them  that  slept.  For  since  by 
man  came  death,  by  man  came  also  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead.  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even 
so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.  But  every 
man  in  his  own  order  :  Christ  the  first-fruits  ; 
afterward  they  that  are  Christ's,  at  his  coming. 
Then  cometh  the  end,  when  he  shall  have  deliv- 
ered up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  F^^er  ; 
when  he  shall  have  put  down  all  rule,  and  all 
authority,  and  power.  For  he  must  reign,  till 
he  hath  put  all  enemies  under  his  feet.      The  last 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  53 

enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death.  For  he 
hath  put  all  things  under  his  feet. 

But  when  hesaith,  all  things  are  put  under  him, 
it  is  manifest  that  he  is  excepted,  which  did  put 
all  things  under  him.  And  when  all  things  shall 
be  subdued  unto  him,  then  shall  the  Son  also  him- 
self be  subject  unto  Him  that  put  all  things  under 
him,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all.  Else  what  shall 
they  do  which  are  baptized  for  the  dead,  if  the 
dead  rise  not  at  all  ?  Why  are  they  then  baptized 
for  the  dead  ?  and  why  stand  we  in  jeopardy  every 
hour  ?  I  protest  by  your  rejoicing,  which  I  have 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  I  die  daily.  If  after 
the  manner  of  men  I  have  fought  with  beasts  at 
Ephesus,  what  advantageth  it  me,  if  the  dead  rise 
not  ?  let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die. 
Be  not  deceived  :  evil  communications  corrupt 
good  manners.  Awake  to  righteousness,  and  sin 
not  ;  for  some  have  not  the  knowledge  of  God. 
I  speak  this  to  your  shame. 

But  some  man  will  say.  How  are  the  dead 
raised  up  ?  and  with  what  body  do  they  come  ? 
Thou  fool  !  that  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quick- 
ened, except  it  die.  And  that  which  thou  sowest, 
thou  sowest  not  that  body  that  shall  be,  but  bare 
grain,  it  may  chance  of  wheat,  or  of  some  other 
grain.  But  God  giveth  it  a  body  as  it  hath  pleased 
Him,  and  to  every  seed  his  own  body. 

All  flesh  is  not  the  same  flesh  ;  but  there  is  one 
kind    of   flesh   of   men,    another  flesh   of    beasts. 


54  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

another  of  fishes,  and  another  of  birds.  There 
are  also  celestial  bodies,  and  bodies  terrestrial  ; 
but  the  glory  of  the  celestial  is  one,  and  the  glory 
of  the  terrestrial  is  another.  There  is  one  glory 
of  the  sun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moon,  and 
another  glory  of  the  stars  ;  for  one  star  differeth 
from  another  star  in  glory. 

So  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  It  is 
sown  in  corruption  ;  it  is  raised  in  incorruption  :  it 
is  sown  in  dishonour,  it  is  raised  in  glory  :  it  is 
sown  in  weakness  ;  it  is  raised  in  power  :  it  is  sown 
a  natural  body ;  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body. 
There  is  a  natural  body,  and  there  is  a  spiritual 
body.  And  so  it  is  written.  The  first  man  Adam 
was  made  a  living  soul  ;  the  last  Adam  was  made 
a  quickening  spirit,  Howbeit  that  vv^as  not  first 
which  is  spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natural  ;  and 
afterward  that  which  is  spiritual.  The  first  man 
is  of  the  earth,  earthy  :  the  second  man  is  the 
Lord  from  heaven.  As  is  the  earthy,  such  are 
they  also  that  are  earthy  :  and  as  is  the  heavenly, 
such  are  they  also  that  are  heavenly.  And  as  we 
have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also 
bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly. 

Now  this  I  say,  brethren,  that  flesh  and  blood 
cannot  inherit  the  Kingdom  of  God  ;  neither  doth 
corruption  inherit  incorruption.  Behold,  I  ^ow 
you  a  mystery  :  we  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we 
shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the  twin- 
kling of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump  :   for  the  trumpet 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  55 

shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorrup- 
tible, and  we  shall  be  changed.  For  this  corrup- 
tible must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal 
must  put  on  immortality.  ^" 

So  when  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on  in- 
corruption, and  this  mortal  shall  have  put  on 
immortality  ;  then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the 
saying  that  is  written,  Death  is  swallowed  up  in 
victory.  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  O  grave, 
where  is  thy  victory  ?  The  sting  of  death  is  sin  ; 
and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  Law.  But  thanks  be 
to  God,  which  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren, be  ye  steadfast,  unmoveable,  always  abound- 
ing in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye 
know  that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

When  they  come  to  the  Grave,  luhile  the  Corpse  is 
made  ready  to  be  laid  into  the  earth,  shall  be 
sung  or  said, 

Man,  that  is  born  of  a  woman,  hath  but  a  short 
time  to  live,  and  is  full  of  misery.  He  cometh 
up,  and  is  cut  down,  like  a  flower  ;  he  fleeth  as  it 
were  a  shadow,  and  never  continueth  in  one  stay. 

In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death  :  of  whom 
may  we  seek  for  succour,  but  of  thee,  O  Lord, 
who  for  our  sins  art  justly  displeased  ? 

Yet,  O  Lord  God  most  holy,  O  Lord  most 
mighty,  O  holy  and  most  merciful  Saviour, 
deliver  us  not  into  the  bitter  pains  of  eternal  death. 


56  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

Thou  knowest,  Lord,  the  secrets  of  our  hearts  ; 
shut  not  thy  merciful  ears  to  our  prayer  ;  but 
spare  us,  Lord  most  holy,  O  God  most  mighty, 
O  holy  and  merciful  Saviour,  thou  most  worthy 
Judge  eternal  ;  suffer  us  not,  at  our  last  hour,  for 
any  pains  of  death,  to  tall  from  thee. 

The7t^  IV  J  die  the  earth  shall  be  east  upon  the  Body 
by  some  standing  by,  the  Minister  shall  say, 
Forasmuch  as  it  hath  pleased  Almighty  God,  in 
his  wise  providence,  to  take  out  of  this  world  the 
soul  of  our  deceased  brother,  we  therefore  commit 
his  body  to  the  ground  ;  earth  to  earth,  ashes  to 
ashes,  dust  to  dust  ;  looking  for  the  general  resur- 
rection in  the  last  day,  and  the  life  of  the  world 
to  come,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ;  at  whose 
second  coming  in  glorious  majesty  to  judge  the 
world,  the  earth  and  the  sea  shall  give  up  their 
dead  ;  and  the  corruptible  bodies  of  those  who 
sleep  in  him  shall  be  changed,  and  made  like  unto 
his  own  glorious  body  ;  according  to  the  mighty 
working  whereby  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things 
unto  himself. 

Then  shall  be  said,  or  sting, 

I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto 
me,  Write,  From  henceforth,  blessed  ap^the 
dead  M^ho  die  in  the  Lord  :  even  so,  saith  the 
Spirit,  for  they  rest  from  their  labours.  (Rev. 
xiv.  13.) 


SCRIPTURAL  SERVICES.  57 

Then  the  Minister  shall  say  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  Hallowed  be 
thy  Name.  Thy  kingdom  come.  Thy  will  be 
done  on  earth,  As  it  is  in  heaven.  Give  us  this 
day  our  daily  bread.  And  forgive  us  our  tres- 
passes. As  we  forgive  those  who  trespass  against 
us.  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation  ;  But  de- 
liver us  from  evil.     Amen. 

Then  the  Minister  shall  say  one  or  both  of  the  fol- 
loiuing  Prayers,  at  his  discretion. 

Almighty  God,  with  whom  do  live  the  spirits 
of  those  who  depart  hence  in  the  Lord,  and  with 
whom  the  souls  of  the  faithful,  after  they  are 
delivered  from  the  burden  of  the  flesh,  are  in  joy 
and  felicity  ;  we  give  thee  hearty  thanks  for  the 
good  examples  of  all  those  thy  servants,  who, 
having  finished  their  course  in  faith,  do  now  rest 
from  their  labours.  And  we  beseech  thee,  that 
we,  with  all  those  who  are  departed  in  the  true 
faith  of  thy  holy  Name,  may  have  our  perfect 
consummation  and  bliss,  both  in  body  and  soul,  in 
thy  eternal  and  everlasting  glory  ;  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

O  merciful  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  the  resurrection  and  the  life  ;  in 
whom  whosoever  believeth,  shall  live,  though  he 
die  ;  and  whosoever  liveth,  and  believeth  in  him, 
shall  not  die  eternally  ;  who  also  hath  taught  us, 


5 8  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

by  his  holy  Apostle  Saint  Paul,  not  to  be  sorry, 
as  men  vvithout  hope,  for  those  who  sleep  in  him  ; 
we  humbly  beseech  thee,  O  Father,  to  raise  us 
from  the  death  of  sin  unto  the  life  of  righteous- 
ness ;  that,  when  we  shall  depart  this  life,  we 
may  rest  in  him  ;  and  that,  at  the  general  Resur- 
rection in  the  last  day,  we  may  be  found  accept- 
able in  thy  sight  ;  and  receive  that  blessing  which 
thy  well-beloved  Son  shall  then  pronounce  to  all 
who  love  and  fear  thee,  saying.  Come,  ye  blessed 
children  of  my  Father,  receive  the  kingdom  pre- 
pared for  you  from  the  beginning  of  the  world. 
Grant  this,  we  beseech  thee,  O  merciful  Father, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Mediator  and  Redeem- 
er.    A  me 71. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
love  of  God,  and  the  fellow^ship  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  be  with  us  all  evermore.      Auicn, 


v^ 


IL 
WHAT     IS     DEATH? 


"  Birds,   beasts,  each  tree. 

All  that  hath  growth  or  breath 
Have  one  large  language,  Death  !" 


Henry  Vaughan:  ''The  Check." 


Vv- 


WHAT    IS    DEATH  ? 

I.      The  Execution  of  a  Sentence. 

Gen.  iii.  19.    "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt 
return. ' ' 

"  We  speak  of  Death  as  coming  in  the  course  of  nature. 
But  in  the  just  and  proper  sense  of  the  words,  this  is  not 
true.  Death  does  not  come  in  the  course  of  nature. 
Nature  properly  ought  to  mean  the  state  of  things  as  coji- 
stitnted  by  God.  Man's  original  state  is  his  natural  state. 
It  was  a  state  of  sinless  purity  and  sinless  joy.  And  in 
that  state  of  things  Death  had  no  place.  Death  is  al- 
together out  of  the  true  course  of  nature.  It  is  in  the 
course,  it  is  granted,  of  fallen  nature^— of  nature  as  sinful 
and  guilty.  But  of  any  moral  nature,  that  state  is  the 
most  ?if;/natural  possible.  In  one  sense  only  can  it  be  cor- 
rectly said  that  the  death  of  man  is  in  the  course  of  nature  ; 
namely,  that  it  is  in  accordance  with  the  moral  require- 
ments of  the  divine  nature,  and  consequently  with  the 
eternal  and  immutable  nature  and  fitness  of  things,  that 
penalty  should  follow  trespass  ;  that  sin  should  infer  suf- 
fering. In  THAT  sense  Death  is  in  the  course  of  nature — is 
natural." —  IVardlaw. 

II.      The  Dissolution  of  a  Union. 

Ecc.  xii.  7.    "Then  shall  the  dust  return  to  the  earth 

as  it  was  :  and  the  spirit  shall  return  to  God  who  gave  it. ' ' 

Strictly  speaking,  the  separation  of  soul  and  body  is  the 


62  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

consequence  of  Death  and  not  the  cause  of  it.  The  body 
actually  moulders  down  into  indistinguishable  earth,  and 
only  through  the  Holy  Spirit  can  we  track  the  spirit  of 
man,  on  its  invisible  upward  way. 

III.  An  End. 

Ecc.  vii,  2.    "  That  is  the  end  of  all  men." 

We  live  in  a  variety  of  relations;  of  occupations;  of 
pleasures  ;  of  sufferings  ;  of  possessions  ;  of  privileges  ; 
of  opportunities.  Of  all  these,  and  of  everything  else  that 
pertains  to  earth  and  to  time,  Death  is  the  final  close. 
Every  marriage  must,  soon  or  late,  leave  a  widower  or  a 
widow  ;  every  birth  a  mourning  parent  or  an  orphan  child  ; 
every  growing  famil)'  bereaved  brothers  or  bereaved  sis- 
ters ;  every  friendship  a  solitary  friend.  *'One  event  hap- 
peneth  alike  to  all." 

IV.  A  Beginning. 

Heb.  ix.  2"].  ''it  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die, 
but  after  this  the  judgment," 

"  After  this  " — an  eternal  sleep  ?  annihilation  ?  another 
period  of  probation  ?  No  !  After  Death  God  has  ap- 
pointed the  Judgment.     (Acts  xvii.  31.) 

V.  The  Seed-Time  of  a  Future  Harvest. 

I  Cor.  XV.  42-45.  "It  is  sown  in  corruption,  it  is 
raised  in  incorruption  ;  it  is  sown  in  dishonouivit  is  raised 
in  glory  ;  it  is  sown  in  weakness,  it  is  raised  in  power  ; 
it  is  sown  a  natural  body,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body." 

What  an  interest  then  attaches  to  the  last  moment  of 
every  man's  earthly  life  !— to  the  parting  breath  on  which 
the  soul  passes  away  from  its  mortal  tenement  !  As  Death 
at  that  solemn  moment  finds  him — believing  or  not  be- 
lieving on  the  only  Saviour,    reconciled    to   God  or  still 


IVHA  T  IS  DEA  TH ?  63 

alienated  from  him — pardoned  or  unpardoned — renewed 
or  unrenewed  ;  so  must  judgment,  so  must  eternity  find 
him — accepted  and  saved,  or  cast  away  and  lost  !  In  either 
case  7vhat  an  End  ! — because  xvhat  a  Beginning  ! 

VI.  The  Last  Enemy. 

(Cf.   I  Cor.  XV.   26  ;   Rev.  xxi.  4,  etc.) 

"  The  Christian  does  not  look  upon  Death  and  the  grave 
with  so  much  of  dread  and  repulsion  as  did  Job  :  he  can 
look  upon  them  not  only  without  fear,  but  with  feelings  of 
triumph.  But  this  is  not  because  Death  and  the  grave  are 
changed,  but  because  the  future  is  changed — because  life 
and  immortality  are  brought  to  light  in  the  Gospel. 

"The  way  by  which  we  pass  out  of  the  world  is  still  nar- 
row and  dark  and  cold,  though  our  sharpened  vision  may 
see  sweet  fields  beyond,  and  our  quickened  ear  may  catch 
celestial  strains.  We  should  look  at  Death  as  it  is,  as  we 
shall  find  it,  that  we  may  know  how  to  rise  above  it." — 
J.  P.   Tliovipson. 

VII.  Sin,   the  Procuring  Cause. 

Rom.  V.  12.  "  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world, 
and  death  by  sin  ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for 
that  all  have  sinned."' 

"  Draw  near  to  this  expr-ess  image  of  God,  ye  ignorant  and 
disobedient  children  !  See,  in  his  eyes,  how  the  God  of 
thunder  and  lightning  and  terror  will  look  at  you.  Behold, 
you  are  the  prodigal  son,  and  he  is  the  Father,  who  sees  you, 
and  has  compassion,  .  .  .  and  says,  .  .  .  This  my 
son  was  dead  and  is  alive  again.  .  .  ," — Robert  Robin- 
son (1786). 

VIII.  Final  Causes  of  Death. 

These  are  various  : 

I.   There  must  be  some  mode  of  exchanging  worlds. 


64  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

2.  And  of  emptying  this  world  of  those  whose  probation 
is  ended,  that  there   may  be   room   for  others  to  foHow. 

3.  For  otherwise  the  world  would  have  been  over  popu- 
lated. 4.  Besides,  Death  teaches  us  great  lessons  as  to 
the  evil  of  sin,  the  vanity  of  this  life,  and  the  infinite  im- 
portance of  the  life  beyond  the  grave.  Time  is  but  the 
title-page,  while  eternity  is  the  never-ending  volume  of 
existence.  But,  whatever  may  be  the  fi7ial  causes  of 
Death,  its  procurmg  cause  is  Sin.  To  evade  Sin  is  to 
evade  Death,  but  "there  is  none  righteous,  no  not  one." 

IX.  The  Ordering  of  the  Lord. 

Ps.  civ.  29.  "Thou  takest  away  their  breath;  they 
die  and  return  to  their  dust. '' 

Ps.  xc.  3.  "Thou  turnest  man  to  destruction  and 
sayest,   Return,  ye  children  of  men." 

(Cf.  Job  xiv.  20  ;  XXX.  23  ;   Is.  xl.  6,  7  ;   Ps.  Ixxx.  16, 

etc. ) 

Those,  therefore,  who  teach  that  "  the  death  of  a  human 
being  is  a  natural  result,  as  much  as  that  of  a  worm  or  a 
plant,"  and  affirm  that  to  teach  otherwise  is  to  "slander 
the  Almighty,"  are  not  teaching  within  the  Divine  Record, 
but  directly  against  it. 

X.  God,   the  Author  of  It. 

Deut.  xxxii.  39.  "I,  even  I,  am  he,  and  there  is  no 
god  with  me.  I  kill  and  I  make  alive  ;  I  wound  and  I 
heal  :  neither  is  there  any  that  can  deliver  out  of  my 
hand. "  ^ 

XL     Its  Leading  Characteristics. 
I.    It  is  miiversal. 


irHA  y  IS  DBA  TH  /  65 

Ecc.  ix.  3.    "  There  is  one  event  unto  all.  " 
(Cf.  Josh,  xxiii.   14,  etc.) 

Death  is  never  idle.  Among  the  millions  of  earth 
there  fall  on  the  average,  one  every  second,  sixty  every 
minute,  3600  every  hour,  86,400  every  day  ;  one  in  about 
thirty  to  thirty-five  of  the  whole  population /^r  ^«;/z^w. 
Seventy  years  is  the  extreme  limit ;  thirty-five  is  the  ordi- 
nary limit,  with  few  exceptions. 

2.    It  is  iiieviiahle. 

Ps.  Ixxxix.  48,      "What  man  is  he  that  liveth  and  shall 

not  see  death  ?  " 

(Cf.  Job  xxx.  20  ;  Ecc.  viii.  8,  etc.) 

The  longest  life  will  come  to  an  end.  "The  young  may 
die  ;  the  old  must  die." 

J*.    //  is  impartial.  . 

Ecc.  ix.  2.     "There  is  one  event  to  the  righteous  and 

to  the  wicked. 

Perhaps  this  was  never  seen  more  clearly  than  when 
the  two  thieves  were  crucified,  with  "Jesus  in  the  midst." 

^.    //  is  sure. 

Job  xxx.  23.      "I   know  that    thoti   wilt  bring  me   to 
death  ;  to  the  house  appointed  for  all  living." 

"  Ten  thousand  human  beings  set  forth  together  on  their 
journey.  After  ten  years  one  third  at  least  have  disap- 
peared. At  the  middle  point  of  the  common  measure  of 
life  but  half  are  still  upon  the  road.  Fast  and  faster,  as  the 
ranks  grow  thinner,  they  that  remained  till  now  become 
weary  and  lie  down  to  rise  no  more.  At  three-score  and 
ten  a  band  of  some  four  hundred  yet  struggles  on.  At 
ninety  these  have  been  reduced  to  a  handful  of  thirty 
trembling  patriarchs.  Year  after  year  they  fall  in  dimin- 
ishing   numbers.     One  lingers,  perhaps,   a  lonely  marvel 


66  THE  BURIAL  OF  THFi  DEAD. 

till  the  century  is  over.     We  look  again,  and  the  work  of 
Death  is  finished."— i?z/r^^j'^. 

5.  lis  time  uncerfain  to  man. 

Ecc.  ix.  12.  "  For  man  also  knoweth  not  his  time: 
as  the  fishes  that  are  taken  in  an  evil  net,  and  as  the  birds 
that  are  caught  in  the  snare  ;  so  are  the  sons  of  men 
snared  in  an  evil  time,  when  it  falleth  suddenly  upon 
them," 

(Cf.  Gen.  xxvii.  2  ;  Prov.  xxvii.   i;  Jas.  iv.   14.) 

"  Nothing  is  so  sure  as  death,  and  nothing  so  uncertain 
as  the  time.  I  may  be  too  old  to  live,  I  can  never  be  too 
)'Oung  to  die  ;  I  will  therefore  live  every  hour,  as  if  I  were 
to  die  the  next." — Divine  Breathings  (i6th  century). 

6.  Bui  certain  with  God. 

Job  xiv.  5.  "His  days  are  determined;  the  number 
of  his  months  are  with  thee  :  thou  hast  appointed  his 
bounds,  that  he  cannot  pass. 

7.  Without  order. 

job  x.  20-22.  "Are  not  my  days  few  .  .  .  be- 
fore I  go  whence  I  shall  not  return  ;  even  to  the  land  of 
darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death,  .  .  .  without  any 
order."" 

There  is  "no  order"  (i)  as  to  age,  or  (2)  as  to  bodily 
strength  or  weakness  [Job  xxi.  24],  or  (3)  as  to  place,  or 
(4)  means  of  death,  or  (5)  manner  of  death,  or  (6)  as  to 
character  [Ps.  xlix.  10],  or  (7)  circumstances,  or  (8)  feelings 
of  men. 

S.    Near.  .  ^ 

Ps.  xxxix.  5.      "  Behold,  thou  hast  made  my  days  as  an 
handbreadth  and  mine  age   is  as  nothing  before  thee  " 
(Cf.    I  Sam.  XX.  3  ;   ]\Iark  xiii.  35.) 


IVHA  T  IS  DEA  TH  ?  67 

g.    Often  unexpected. 

Isaiah  xxviii.  15,  17,  18.  "  Because  ye  have  said,  \Vc 
have  made  a  covenant  with  death,  .  .  .  the  hail 
shall  sweep  away  the  refuge  of  lies  .  .  .  and  your 
covenant  with  death  shall  be  disannulled," 

It  is  noteworthy  that  those  who  are  the  proudest  of  their 
physical  powers  are  oftentimes  the  nearest  to  the  grave. 
This  particularly  holds  true  of  the  middle-aged  and  old, 
who  will  frequently,  through  this  feeling,  overtax  them- 
selves. 

10.  Ever  approaching. 

Zach.  i.  5.    "  Your  fathers,  where  are  they.?"' 

The  present  is  the  only  visible  part  of  the  scroll  of  the 
generations.  Death  rolls  up  the  past,  as  Life  unrolls  the 
future. 

11.  To  be  kept  in  view. 

Ecc.  ix.  10.  "Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do 
it  with  thy  might  ;  for  there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor 
knowledge,  nor  wisdom,  in  the  grave,  whither  thou  goest. " ' 

The  ancients  represented  Opportunity  as  a  fair  boy, 
standing  tip-toe  on  one  foot  and  stretching  his  wings  to 
be  gone.  In  the  grave  there  is  no  work,  for  the  hand  is 
dust ;  there  is  no  device,  for  the  cunning  tongue  is  still  ; 
there  is  no  knoivledge,  for  the  brain  is  dead  ;  there  is  no 
7visdom,  for  the  thought  has  perished.     (Cf.  Ps.  cxlvi.  3,  4.) 

XII.      Death  is  Described  as 

Returning  to  the  dust.    Gen.  iii.   19  ;  Ecc.  xii.  7. 

Gathering  to  our  people.    Gen.  xlix.  '^t,. 

A  sleep.    Deut.  xxxi.   16  :  Ps.  xiii.  3. 

A  harvesting.   Job  v.  26, 

The  vanishing  of  a  cloud.    Job  vii.  9  ;  Jas.  iv.   14. 


68  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

V 

Being  cut  down.   Job  xiv.  2. 
Fleeing  as  a  shadow.   Job  xiv.  2. 
A  great  change.   Job  xiv.  14. 
A  long  journey.   Job  xvi.  22, 
The  King  of  Terrors.    Job  xviii.   14. 
A  dream.   Job  xx.  5. 
A  hunter  who  lays  snares.    Ps.  xviii.  5,  6. 
The  shadow  of  the  tomb.    Ps.  xxiii.  4. 
Flying  away.    Ps.  xc.  10. 
Ceasing  of  the  breath  of  life.    Ps.  civ.  29. 
Going  down  into  silence.    Ps.  cxv.  1 7. 
The  breaking  of  silver  cord  and  golden  bowl.    Ecc.  ii.  6. 
A  robber.   Jer.  ix.  21  ;  Joel  ii.  9. 
A  stroke.    Ezek.  xxiv.  16. 
One  holding  a  cup  of  poison.    ]\Iatt.  xvi.  28. 
An  apparition.    Luke  ii.  26. 
God  requiring  the  soul.    Luke  xii.  20. 
Yielding  up  the  ghost.   Acts  v.   10. 
A  serpent  deprived  of  its  sting,     i  Cor.  xv,  55. 
The  earthly  tabernacle  dissolved.    2  Cor.  v.  i. 
Putting  off  the  body  as  a  garment.    2  Cor.  v.  3,  4. 
Departing  this  life.*   Phil.  i.  23  ;   2  Cor.  v.  8  ;   2  Tim. 
iv.  6. 

Putting  off  this  tabernacle.    2  Pet.  i.  14. 
A  horseman.    Rev.  vi.  8. 

"If  thou  expect  Death  as  a  friend  (John  xix.  41),  pre- 
pare to  entertain  him  ;  if  as  an  enemy,  prepare  to  over- 
come him  (i  Cor.  xv.  26).  Death  hath  no  advantag.^^ver 
us,  but  when  he  comes  as  a  stranger." — Qiiarles. 

*  "  Depart"  is  literally  to  "  start  on  a  voyage" — and  "an  abundant 
entrance"  alludes  to  making  port  with  all  sail  set.  Clement  of  Alex- 
andria first  notices  this. 


IVHA  T  IS  BE  A  TH  /  69 

XIII.  Terminates  our  Probation. 

Rev.  xxii.  11,  12.  ''  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  un- 
just still  :  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  tilthy  still  : 
and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still  :  and 
he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  still. 

(Cf.  Ecc.  xi.  3;  Job  xiv.  7-12;  IMatt.  vi.  20;  Gal. 
vi.  7  ;  Luke  xvi.  26  ;   2  Cor.  v.   10,  etc.) 

"The  notion  of  a  state  of  trial  after  death  is  alike  un- 
scriptural  and  unreasonable,  (i)  God  does  not  need  to 
try  men  forever,  to  determine  their  moral  character.  (2) 
Mortal  life  is  long  enough,  at  its  shortest, for  this  purpose. 
.  (3)  This  world  is  adapted  to  such  a  probation  (Rom.  ii. 
6-11).  (4)  Heaven  is  not  adapted  to  it,  becctuse  it  is  an  end- 
less reward.  (5)  Hell  is  not,  because  it  is  an  everlasting 
punishment.  (6)  If  the  wicked  are  to  be  put  on  a  second 
probation,  why  not  the  righteous  also?  (7)  Short  as  life 
is,  sinners  often  finish  virtually  their  stale  of  trial  long  be- 
fore they  leave  the  present  world.  (Cf.  Dr.  Alexander's 
hymn,  "There  is  a  line  by  us  unseen.")  (8)  There  are 
those  who  quench  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  so  commit  the  un- 
pardonable sin.  (9)  We  are  no  longer  authorized  to  pray 
for  such  persons  (Jer.  vii.  16;  i  John  v.  16).  (10)  When 
is  such  a  second  probation  to  be  expected  ?  Not  beiiveen 
death  and  judgment  (Heb.  ix.  27).  Not  after  judgment, 
for  then  Christ  resigns  his  mediatorial  office  and  king- 
dom (i  Cor.  XV.  24-2S).  Finally  (11)  Christ  says  of  that 
season  of  which  death  is  the  beginning,  and  eternity  the 
continuance,  '  The  night  cojueth,  when  no  vian  can  work' 
(John  ix.  4)," — Pond. 

Death  is  like  the  "  fixing  -  solution"  of  the  photog- 
rapher ;  it  is  the  Medusa's  head  which  turns  our  shifting 
purposes  and  actions  into  stone. 

XIV.  To  BE  Prepared    for,   Temporally. 

2  Kings  XX.  I.  "Set  thy  house  in  order  ;  for  ihou  shalt 
die,  and  not  live. ' ' 


70  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAb. 

Perhaps,  in  giving  this  advice,  Isaiah  thought  of  Abra- 
ham, who  was  careful  to  settle  his  family  affairs  before  his 
death  (Gen.  xxv.  5,  6).  So  should  you  do  also.  Making 
your  will  brings  death  no  sooner.  Let  it  be  made  j^W/Zj// 
paying  your  debts  and  making  restitution  if  )^ou  have 
wronged  any  one.  Let  it  be  made  fairly ;  providing  for 
your  family  without  invidious  distinctions.  Let  it  be 
made  m  the  fear  of  God  ;  honoring  Him  with  some  part  of 
your  substance,  by  appropriating  it  to  some  pious  and 
charitable  use. 

XV.  To  BE  Prepared  for,   Spiritually. 

Heb.  xi.  7.  "By  faith  Noah,  being  warned  of  God  of 
things  not  seen  as  yet,  moved  with  fear,  prepared  an  ark 
to  the  saving  of  his  house." 

{Vide  Ps.  xxxix.  4,  13  ;  xc.  12  ;  Amos  iv.  I2.) 

(Cf.  Mark  xiii.  ■^j  ;  John  vii.  6,  and  similar  passages, 
e.g.  Rev.  iii.  2.) 

"  The  accurate  work  of  salvation,  upon  which  hangs 
eternity,  can  hardly  be  done  in  the  dim-foul  light  of 
dying." — Ganden. 

"It  is  unadvisable  to  put  off  the  providing  of  salvation- 
graces  to  a  death-bed,  seeing  that  it  is  so  difficult  then  to 
exercise  those  that  were  provided  before." — Boyle. 

"  Death-bed  repentance.  One  case  that  we  should  not 
despair;  but  one  that  we  should  not  presume." — Alatt. 
Henry,  on  P  mi  tent  Thief. 

XVI.  To  BE  Prepared,  one  must  Believe'  on  Christ. 

John  xi.  25.  "  I  am  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life  ;  he 
that  believeth  on  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  sli^  he 
live  ;  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me  shall  never 
die. '' 

Whether  we  consider  preparation  for  death  as  habitual 


yVJ/A  T  IS  DEA  TH  ?  7  i 

(Matt.  XXV.  4),  or  actual  (as  in  Luke  xii.  36),  one  thing  is 
certain  :  no  one  is  prepared  for  death  who  is  not  prepared 
for  heaven.  He  must  have  faith  (Mark  xvi.  16).  He  must 
have  repentance  (Luke  xiii.  3).  He  must  be  "  born  again'' 
(John  iii.  3  ;  i  John  v.  i).  If  he  is  born  but  once,  he  will 
die  twice  (Rev.  xx.  14,  15  ;  John  viii.  24).  If  he  is  born 
twice,  he  will  die  but  once  (Rev.  ii.  11). 

XVII.      Fear  of  Death — Causes  and  Cure. 

Heb.  ii.  14,  15.  "  Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are 
partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise 
took  part  of  the  same  ;  that  through  death  he  might  de- 
stroy him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is  the  devil  ; 
and  deliver  them  who,  through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their 
liie-time  subject  to  bondage." 

Analyzing  this  fear  we  find,  as  the  first  cause,  the  act  of 
dying  itself.  No  doubt  God  intended  that  death  should  be 
a  remembrancer  of  human  guilt,  and  therefore  He  made  it 
what  it  is.  Still,  this  consideration,  of  itself,  ought  not 
unduly  to  excite  our  fears.  Physicians  tell  us  that  much 
of  what  we  call  the  "agony  of  death,"  physiologically 
speaking,  is  less  of  agony  than  of  insensibility.  The 
hurried  breathing,  the  "death-rattle,"  and  the  turned-up 
eye-ball  especially,  are  only  signs  that  the  sufferer  has  lost 
all  consciousness.  Thousands  probably  have  suffered  a 
much  greater  amount  of  pain,  in  illnesses  from  which  they 
recovered,  than  in  that  of  which  they  died.  It  is  by  no 
means  a  matter  of  course,  that  the  "  parting  struggle" 
should  concentrate  into  it  more  of  agony  than  that  which 
has  been  endured  at  any  previous  period.  And  the  popu- 
lar feeling,  perhaps,  has  more  of  superstition  in  it  than  of 
reason,  as  warranted  by  the  facts  which  actually  exist. 
The  same  thing  may  be  said  of  the  dread  of  the  earth-^vorm, 
as  founded  on  the  over-interpreted  English  version  of 
Job  xix.  26,  but   for   which    there    is   not  a  semblance  of 


72  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

truth  in  the  Hebrew  ;*  and  of  being  buried  alive,  an  event 
so  uncommon  with  any  ordinary  care,  that  on)}'  a  morbid 
sensibility  would  ever  give  it  a  second  thought.  When 
■  the  muscle  loses  its  irritability  and  becomes  rigid — when 
there  is  an  indication  of  incipient  putrefaction — the  evi- 
dence is  conclusive.  The  sooner  all  this  class  of  thoughts 
is  dismissed  from  the  mind,  the  better.  It  is  not  the  mere 
act  of  dying,  so  much  as  the  being  dead,  that  should  be  our 
chief  occasion  of  solicitude. 

A  second  and  more  important  cause  for  the  fear  of  death 
is  undue  attachment  to  the  world.  We  look  at  our  partner 
in  life,  our  children,  our  parents,  our  wealth,  and  we  find 
that  a  dying  hour  is  but  a  poor  season  in  which  to  be 
weaned  from  the  world.  Well  saith  the  son  of  Sirach, 
"O  Death,  how  bitter  is  the  remembrance  of  thee  to  a 
man  that  liveth  at  rest  in  his  possessions,  unto  the  man 
that  hath  nothing  to  vex  him,  and  that  hath  prosperity  in 
all  things  ;  yea,  unto  him  that  is  able  to  receive  meat." 
(Ecclus.  xli.  I.) 

Another  cause  for  this  fear  of  death  is,  lest  in  that  hour 
we  may  ho,  found  vcitJwiit  a  good  hope — like  a  ship  without 
an  anchor  (Heb.  vi.  ig).  Worldly-mindedness  plants  many 
a  thorn  in  the  pillow  of  the  bed  of  death  ;  it  is  but  a  poor 
preparation  either  for  death  or  heaven.  Let  a  man  make 
a  business  of  his  religion,  and  a  religion  of  his  business, 
and  his  hope,  like  his  piety,  will  grow  "brighter  and 
brighter  to  the  perfect  da)-." 

The  only  cure  for  such  fears  as  these  is  faith  in  Christ ; 

"  This,  only  this,  subdues  the  fear  of  death — 
A  pardon  bought  with  blood  !  with  blood  divine  ! " 

"  Tell  those  that  are  drawing  down  to  the  bed  of  death, 
from  my  experience,"   said  Sir  William  Forbes,  vjj^at  it 

*  "While  we  suppose  common  womis  in  graves,  it  is  not  easv  to 
find  any  there  ;  few  in  church-yards  above  a  foot  deep." — Sir  Thomas 
Broivne. 

"  And  after  this  my  skin  is  destroyed,"  etc. — Raymond :  Trans,  of  Job. 


WHA  T  IS  DEA  TH  f  73 

has  no  terrors  ;  that  in  the  hour  when  it  is  most  wanted 
there  is  mercy  with  the  Most  High,  and  that  some  change 
takes  place  which  fits  the  soul  to  meet  its  God." 

So  said  Howard,  the  philanthropist  :  "  Death  has  no 
terrors  for  me."  So  said  the  good  Halyburton  :  "  I,  a 
poor,  weak,  timorous  man,  once  as  much  afraid  of  death 
as  any  ;  I,  that  have  been  many  years  under  the  terrors  of 
death,  come  now  in  the  mercy  of  God,  and  by  the  power 
of  His  grace  composedly  and  with  joy  to  look  death  in 
the  face  !  This  change  is  what  has  been  well-named 
'dying  grace,  kept  for  a  dying  hour,' and  that  there  is  such 
a  thing,  none  can  doubt  who  have  been  accustomed  to 
witness  the  death  of  true  believers  in  Him  who  hath  abol- 
ished and  destroyed  death."     (2  Tim.  i.  10.) 


XVIII.      Indications  of  Actual  Death. 

Job  xiv.  20.      "Thou  cliangest  his    countenance,  and 
sendast  him  away.  ' 

Cf.  Ps.  xxxix  ;  [J^^Ecc.  xii.   1-7. 

"The  first  signs  of  death  are  like  those  of  approaching 
sleep  after  deep  weariness,  but  far  stronger.  At  the  same 
time  a  cold  sweat  is  often  perceptible  on  the  face  and  limbs, 
and  the  substance  of  the  flesh  is  sunken  and  bloodless. 
There  is,  perhaps,  an  uneasy  motion  ;  the  hands  seem 
striving  to  pick  small  objects,  the  grasp  is  firm,  the  teeth 
fixed,  the  lower  lip  trembles,  the  body  is  stretched  out, 
the  extremities  are  cold.  The  senses  one  by  one  are  en- 
feebled, perhaps  extinguished.  First  the  sight  fails  ;  spots 
and  flakes  appear  before  the  eye,  and  the  fingers  strive 
sometimes  to  remove  these  from  the  covering  of  the  bed  ; 
the  countenances  of  friends  are  but  imperfectly  distin- 
guished ;  the  candle  held  closely  shines  as  if  through  a 
thick  mist  ;  darkness  comes  on.  Hearing  endures  long- 
est, and  often  the  voice  of  affection  and  the  melody  of  a 
hymn  are  sweet  to  the  last.      Sometimes  the  ear  fails  not 


74  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

until  long  after  the  power  of  utterance  has  ceased,  so  that 
a  pressure  of  the  hand  answers  the  affectionate  question 
to  which  the  tongue  strives  in  vain  to  reply.  Meanwhile 
the  breath  becomes  troubled  and  irregular,  more  painful, 
feebler,  shorter.  The  pulse  is  trembling  and  almost  im- 
perceptible. First  the  left  ventricle,  then  the  right,  loses 
its  motion.  There  is  sometimes  a  laboring,  groaning 
struggle  as  if  in  a  dream,  while  all  is  fainter  and  fainter, 
at  every  successive  moment.  Perhaps  a  convulsive 
stretch  precedes  the  instant  in  which,  after  successive 
ebbs,  the  breath  expires." — Burgess. 

Either  through  a  relaxation  of  muscles  held  in  firm  posi- 
tions during  life  by  dominant  principles  or  passions,  or  else 
through  the  mere  absence  of  emotional  play  of  feature, 
the  countenance  often  returns  to  the  appearance  it  wore  in 
childhood.  Startling  resemblances  to  relatives  or  ances- 
tors, never  before  noticed,  can  oftentimes  be  seen. 

The  happiest  change  of  all  is  when  the  tide  of  life  goes 
down,  and  with  it  all  the  surges  of  care  from  the  ocean  of 
the  years,  which  now  lies  still  and  quietly  sparklec  with 
the  light  from  above.  And  then  one  departs  with  glad 
face  unto  the  presence  of  God. 

XIX.      I)p:PARTrRp:  oy  the  Soil. 

1.  It  leaves  t/ie  body. 

Ecc.  xii.  7.  "The  spirit  shall  return  to  God  who  gave 
It. 

(Cf.  Luke  xvi.  22  and  xxiii.  43  ;   2  Cor.  v.  6,  etc.) 
Even  heathen  nations  recognize  this  thought. 

2.  Never  to  return  imtil  the  Resurrection. 

Job  xiv.  11,12.  "As  the  waters  fail  from  the  sea,  and 
the  flood  decayeth  and  drieth  up  :  so  man  Heth  down,  and 
riseth  not  :  till  the  heavens  be  no  more,  they  shall  not 
awake,  nor  be  raised  out  of  their  sleep.'" 

Cf.  Job  vii.  9,   10  :  x.   21  ;  xx.  9  :   Ps.  Ixxxviii.  39.' 


JVHA  y  IS  DBA  TH  ?  75 

J.    Uninterested  in  Life. 

2  Chron.  xxxiv.  28.  "Behold,  I  will  gather  thee  to 
thy  fathers,  and  thou  shalt  be  gathered  to  thy  grave  in 
peace,  neither  shall  thine  eyes  see  all  the  evil  that  I 
will  bring  upon  this  place,  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of 
the  same. 

(Cf.  Job  xiv.   21  and  xxi.   21.) 

4.    Death  puts  an  end  to  all  earthly  projects. 

Job  xvii.  II.  "My  days  are  past,  my  purposes  are 
broken  off.'' 

(Cf.  Ecc.  ix.   10.) 

XX.    Death  of  the  Righteous. 

Met  with  resignation.      Gen.  1.  24. 

To  be  desired.      Num.  xxiii.   10. 

Removes  from  coming  evil.      2  Kings  xxii.  20. 

Waited  for.      Job  xiv.   14. 

Met  without  fear.      Ps.  xxiii.  4. 

God  is  with  them.      Ps.  xxiii.  4. 

God  preserves  them.      Ps.  xlviii.   14. 

Precious  in  God's  sight.      Ps.  cxvi.   15. 

Full  of  hope.      Prov.  xiv.  32. 

Full  of  peace.      Isaiah  Ivii.  2. 

Full  of  comfort.      Luke  xvi.  25. 

To  be  with  Christ.      John  xvii.  24. 

To  fall  asleep.      Acts  vii.  60. 

To  put  on  immortality,      i  Cor.  xv.  53. 

To  have  death  robbed  of  its  sting,      i  Cor.  xv.  56,  57. 

To  be  present  with  the  Lord.      2  Cor.  v.  8. 

It  is  gain.      Phil.  i.  21, 


76  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

k  sleep  in  Jesus,     i  Thess.  iv.   14. 

Ends  in  a  crown  of  life.      2  Tim.  iv.  8. 

In  a  jojful  resurrection.     Is.  xxvi.   19  ;  Dan.  xii.  2,  etc. 

Is  blessed.      Rev.  xiv.   13. 

XXI.  Death  of  the  Wicked. 

Foolish.      2  Sam.  iii.  '^'^. 

Sad  to  survivors.     2  Sam.  xviii.  9,  '>^i. 

Often  marked  by  terror.      Job  xviii.   11-15. 

Often  sudden  and  unexpected.     Job  xxi.   13,   17,  21. 

Like  the  death  of  beasts.      Ps.  xlix.   14. 

Without  hope.     Prov.  xi.  7. 

Is  in  their  sins.      Ezek.  iii.   19  ;  John  viii.  21. 

God  has  no  pleasure  in  it.      Ezek.  xviii.  23,  32. 

This  illustrated.     Luke  xii.  20;  xvi.  22. 

Followed  by  punishment.      Acts  i,  25. 

Sometimes  horrible.      Acts  xii.  2^. 

XXII.  Provision  for  Passing  over  the  Dark  River. 

Josh.  i.  II  and  iii.  4.  "Prepare  you  victuals:  for 
within  three  days  ye  shall  pass  over  this  Jordan,  to  go  in 
to  possess  the  land,  which  the  Lord  your  God  giveth  you 
to  possess  it  ;  .  .  .  .  for  ye  have  not  passed  this  way 
heretofore. ' ' 

I  Tim.  i.  15.  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy 
of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world 
to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief. 

(Cf.  I  Cor.  XV.  3 1  ;   2  Cor.  iv.   1 1 ,  etc. ) 

"  I  have  often  inquired  what  there  is  within  us  or  with- 
out us  on  which  a  sinner  can  rest  in  a  dying  hour.  If  it 
be  a  holy  life,  there  can  be  no  peace  for  me — taking  the  law 


I VII A  y  IS  DBA  Til  /  77 

of  God  for  my  standard  ;  backslider  is  my  name.  Yet  I 
think  in  this  sacred  volume  I  find  a  hope  even  for  me,  the 
chief  of  sinners." — Isabella  Graham. 

The  following  passages  were  found  in  Mrs.  Isabella 
Graham's  pocket,  after  her  decease,  as  her  "  provision"  for 
this  purpose.  Perhaps  if  others  will  turn  to  them  in  their 
own  Bibles  they  may  prove  equally  precious. 

Ex.  xvi.  35  ;  Deut.  viii.  2-6  ;  Josh.  iii.  5-17  ;  Ps.  x.  17  ; 
xxiii.  4  ;  li. ;  Ixii.  I,  2,  5,  7  ;  Ixxiii.  24  ;  ciii ;  cvi.  i,  4,  5  ; 
Is.  xl.  II,  27-31  ;  xliii.  1-4,  24,  25  ;  xliv.  21-23  ;  xlv. 
22,  24;  xlvi.  4;  Jer.  i.  32  ;  ii.  13,  14,  17,  31;  iii.  i,  4,  12, 
13,  14,  20-22,  25  ;  Lam.  iii.  27  ;  Ezek.  xvi.  63  ;  xxxiv.  11- 
16,  29-31  ;  xxxvi.  25-32  ;  Dan.  ix.  3-9  ;  Hos.  ii.  19,  20  ; 
xiii.   9  ;  xiv.  1-8  ;  Joel  ii.  12,  13. 

Matt,  xviii.  11  ;  John  i.  20  ;  iii.  14,  31,  33,  35  ;  iv.  10  ;  vi. 
51,  56,  63  ;  vii.  37  ;  X.  II  ;  xi.  25-27  ;  xiv.  18-20  ;  xv.  1-8  ; 
xvi.  13-15;  xvii.  20-24;  Acts  iii.  21  ;  i  Cor.  i.30  ;  iii. 
21,  22  ;  Gal.  ii.  20  ;  Eph.  i.  6,  7,  12  ;  ii.  4-22  ;  iii.  14-21  ;  iv, 
4,  75,  16  ;  Col.  ii  8,  9  ;  iii.  3  ;  Heb.  iv.  14-16  ;  viii. 10-12  ; 
I  John  V.  9-11. 

XXIII,   Timely  Warning  to  be  Given. 

Isaiah  xxxviii.  i ,  "In  those  days  was  Hezekiah  sick 
unto  death,  and  Isaiah  the  prophet,  the  son  of  Amoz, 
came  unto  him  and  said,  Set  thine  house  in  order,  for 
thou  shalt  die,  and  not  hve. '' 

"I.  Friends  must  speak  truthfully  to  sick  friends,  and 
tell  the  sick  the  real  danger  of  their  case.  2.  They  must 
remind  thetn  of  what  is  preparation  for  death.  3.  Isaiah 
did  this  to  a  king.     4.  Preparation  is  having  part  in  Christ." 

— A .   Botiar. 


XXIV.    Brief  Words  for  the  Dying. 

Ps,  ciii.   13.     "  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so 


yS  THE  BURIAL   OF  THE  DEAD. 

the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear  him,  for  he  knoweth  our 
frame." 

Ps.  1.  3.  "What  time  1  am  afraid  I  will  trust  in 
thee. ' ' 

Deut.  xxxiii.  25.  "As  thy  day  so  shall  thy  strength  be.  " 

Ps.  cxxvii.  2.    "He  giveth  his  beloved  sleep." 

Is.  li,   12.    "I,  even  I,  am  he  that  comforteth  you." 

Ps.  xci.   15.    "I  will  be  with  him  in  trouble."' 
•  Is.  xxvii.  8.    "  He  stayeth  his  rough  wind   in   the  day 
of  his  east  wind.  " 

Matt.  xiv.  27.    "  It  is  I  ;  be  not  afraid." 

2  Cor.  xii.  9.  "My  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weak- 
ness. 

Is.  xxvi.  3.  "Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace 
whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee,  because  he  trusteth  in 
thee. 

Job  xiii.  15.  "  Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in 
Him." 

Ps.  xlviii.  14.  "He  will  be  our  Guide  even  unto 
death, 

Heb.  xiii.  5.  "I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 
thee. ' " 

Heb.  xiii.  8.  "Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  and 
to-day,  and  forever. 

Ps.  Ixxiii.  25,  26.  "Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee.^ 
and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee. 
My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth  ;  but  God  is  the  strength 
oi  my  heart  and  my  portion  forever."  v^ 

Eph.  ii.   14.    "  He  is  our  Peace." 

Amos.  V.  8.  "Who  turneth  the  shadow  of  death  into 
the  morning." 


IV 1/ A  y  IS  DEA  TH  f  79 

I  John   i.   7.      "The   l)h)0{l   of  Jesus   Christ,    his  Sun, 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin. 

Luke   xxiii.  42.     "Lord,    remember    me,    when   thou 
comest  into  thy  kingdom." 

Acts  vii.  59.    "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.'" 
2  Tim.  iv.   22.     "The   Lord   Jesus   Christ   be  with   tliA- 
spirit." 

(Cf.  Ps.  xxiii.  4  ;   Rev.  xxi.  4  ;   Deut.  xxxi.  8  ;   Is.  xliii. 
i-3>  etc.) 

The  use  of  such  Scriptures  as  these  has  been  well  com- 
pared to  cordials,  and  to  "  a  cool  breeze  for  a  burning 
brow."  It  is  "  the  Word"  who  lays  His  healing  hand  upon 
the  head.  One  who  touched  the  waters  of  Jordan  said  : 
"  It  appeared  to  me  that,  at  a  dying  hour,  the  proper  exer- 
cise of  the  soul  is  that  of  calm  waiting,  and  sure  expecta- 
tion of  the  coming  salvation,  rather  than  the  performance 
of  a  multiplicity  of  devotional  exercises."  It  is  better, 
therefore,  to  speak  little,  and  suggest  Scriptures  rather  than 
any  remarks  of  our  own.  "  Oh.  hov/  sweet  !"  said  a  dying 
saint,  "  when  we  are  too  weak  to  think  of  Christ,  still  to 
feel  that  He  is  precious  " 

"  In  such  a  moment  as  death  our  eye  must  rest  on 
nothing  but  Jesus  Not  on  self,  not  on  past  experience^ 
not  on  our  having  once  believed,  but  altogether  and  direct- 
ly on  Him  whom  we  are  about  to  see  face  to  face.  Neither 
are  we  to  look  on  death,  nor  think  of  its  sling.  We  are 
to  think  of  Him  who  has  made  death  a  '  stingless  serpent,' 
a  'powerless  enemy,'  a  'lion  whose  great  teeth  are 
broken.'" — A.   Bonar. 

"  It  was  the  custom  among  the  Hebrews,  Greeks,  and 
Romans  for  the  nearest  relatives  to  close  the  eyes  of  the 
dead,  as,  for  instance,  the  husband  for  the  wife  and  vice 
versa,  the  parent  for  the  child,  and  the  child  for  the  parent ; 
and  where  such  were  wanting,  one  friend  did  it  for  an- 
other.    This  was  looked  for  by  the  aged,  and  its  expecta- 


So  THE  BURIAL  OF   THE  DEAD. 

tion  brought  much  ^ greater  content  of  mind  than  the)' 
would  otherwise  have  had.  This  appears  by  Gen.  xlvi. 
4,  where  Jacob,  fearing  he  should  die  on  his  way  to  Egypt, 
by  reason  of  his  extreme  old  age  or  the  length  of  the 
journey,  and  be  thereby  deprived  of  these  funeral  cere- 
monies, God,  to  remove  those  fears  and  comfort  him,  told 
him  he  should  die  in  peace,  with  his  children  about  him, 
and  particularly  that  '  Joseph  should  lay  his  hands  on  his 
eyes,'  as  the  text  expresses  it,  which  was  as  much  as  to 
sa)'-  he  should  close  his  eyes  and  take  all  other  care  of  his 
funeral." — Thomas  Girenhill  (1705). 

XXV.  The  Body  ix  the  Custody  of  Angels. 

jude  9.  "Yet  Michael  the  archangel,  when  contend- 
ing with  the  devil  he  disputed  about  the  body  of  Moses, 
durst  not  bring  against  him  a  railing  accusation,  but  said, 
The  Lord  rebuke  thee." 

(Cf.  The  guardian  angels  in  the  tomb  of  Christ  :  ]\Iatt. 
xxviii.  2-6  ;  Mark  xvi.  5,  6  ;  Luke  xxiv.  2-4  ;  John  xx. 
12  ;  also  Ps.  xci.  11,  12  ;  Matt.  xxiv.  31  ;   ]\Iark  xiii.  27.) 

It  would  seem,  from  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  as  if  the 
bodies  of  the  saints  (as  well  as  their  souls)  were  entrusted 
for  the  time  being  to  the  keeping  of  the  holy  angels, — a 
thought  in  which  there  is  some  very  precious  consolation. 

"  It  is  not  a  Christian  thing  to  die  manifesting  indiffer- 
ence as  to  what  is  done  with  the  body.  That  body  is  re- 
deemed ;  not  a  particle  of  its  dust  but  was  bought  with 
drops  of  Christ's  precious  blood,  and  shall  put  on  incor- 
rupt i  o  n . '  ' — Hen  ry  Melvill. 


XXVI.   The  Intermediate  State. 


w 


"On  the  death  of  the  body  the  departing  spirit  is 
transported  into  a  condidon  which,  in  the  light  of  the 
Gospel,  can   just  as  little  be  conceived  of  as  one  of  un- 


IV HA  T  IS  DEA  TH  f  8  r 

conscious  sleep,  as  one  of  already  completed  happiness 
or  misery.  Rather  must  it  be  looked  upon  as  a  state  of 
self-consciousness  and  of  preliminary  retribution,  but,  at 
the  same  time,  one  of  gradual  transition  to  a  great  final 
decision — a  transition  experienced  in  a  world  of  spirits, 
in  whose  various  circles  Salvation  or  Perdition  is  de- 
termined above  all  by  the  inner  state  of  each."  —  Van 
Oostei-zee  (''Christian  Dogmatics,"  p.  779). 

XXVII.    Grief  fixdixg  Utterance. 
I.    Lamentation. 

Job  xxiii.   I.    '' Then  Job  answered  and  said, 

"2.  Even  to-day  is  my  complaint  bitter:  my  stroke 
is  heavier  than  mv  srroanino:. 

"3.  Oh  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  him!  that 
I  might  come  even  to  his  seat  I 

'•'4.  I  would  order  my  cause  before  hmi,  and  fill  my 
mouth  with  arguments. 

"  5.  I  would  know  the  words  which  he  would  answer 
me,  and  understand  what  he  would  say  unto  me. 

"6.  Will  he  plead  against  me  with  his  great  power.? 
No  ;  but  he  would  put  strength  in  me. 

''7.  There  the  righteous  might  dispute  with  him;  so 
should  I  be  delivered  forever  from  my  judge. 

''8.  Behold,  I  go  forward,  but  he  is  not  there  ;  and 
backward,  but  I  cannot  perceive  him  : 

"  9.  On  the  left  hand,  where  he  doth  work,  but  I  can- 
not behold  him  ;  he  hideth  himself  on  the  right  hand, 
that  I  cannot  see  him  : 

''10.  But  he  knoweth  the  way  that  I  take  :  when  he 
hath  tried  me,  I  shall  come  forth  as  gold. 


82  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

"II.  My  foot  hath  held  his  steps,  his  way  have  I  kept, 
and  not  dechned. 

"12.  Neither  have  I  gone  back  from  the  command- 
ment of  his  hps  ;  I  have  esteemed  die  words  of  his  mouth 
more  than  my  necessary  food. 

"13.  But  he  is  in  one  mind,  and  who  can  turn  him  } 
and  what  his  soul  desireth,  even  that  he  doeth, 

"14.  For  he  performeth  the  thing  that  is  appointed  for 
me  ;  and  many  such  things  are  with  him. 

"15.  Therefore  am  I  troubled  at  his  presence  :  when  I 
consider,  I  am  afraid  of  him. 

''16.  For  God  maketh  my  heart  soft,  and  the  Almighty 
troubleth  me  : 

' '  17.  Because  I  was  not  cut  off  before  the  darkness, 
neither  hath  he  covered  the  darkness  from  my  face. " 

We  have  often  blessed  God  that  there  was  a  23d  chap- 
ter of  Job  as  well  as  a  23d  Psalm.  If  it  be  an  evidence 
that  the  Bible  is  of  God,  because  it  fits  in  so  perfectly  to 
all  the  folds  of  the  human  heart,  surely  we  have  such  evi- 
dence here. 

V.  2.  Sighs  and  groans  are  not  improper  ;  anguish  must 
have  vent.  V.  3.  The  afifliction  does  not  seem  right  to  the 
sufferer.  V.  4.  He  could  present  many  reasons  why  it 
appears  to  him  it  should  be  otherwise.  V.  5.  He  would 
know  God's  answer.  V.  6.  It  would  not  be  harsh  or  arbi- 
trary. He  would  even  help  him  to  present  his  case  in  the 
best  form.  V.  7.  The  result  of  such  a  conference  would  be 
entirely  satisfactory.  Vv.  8,  9.  But,  in  the  absence  of  such  an 
answer,  all  is  dark.  Past,  present,  future — look  at  it  as  he 
will  in  any  of  its  relations,  he  cannot  understand  it.  Vf  10. 
His  only  refuge  is  Faith.  "  It  may  be  the  most  impenetrable 
shade  that  ever  any  but  David  or  Adam  sat  under,  lament- 
ing an  Absalom  or  Cain  accursed  of  God.  But  here  is  a 
rav  from   the   throne:     'lie  knoivetli  ihe  tvav  that  I  take  y 


WHA  T  IS  DEA  TH  'f  83 

Vv.  II,  12.  Others  may  look  upon  it  as  a  "judgment," 
in  which  there  is  no  mercy — to  him  it  is  a  rnysterious  "dis- 
cipline." V.  13.  God  makes  no  mistakes.  It  is  according 
to  the  plan  of  life  that  he  has  marked  out  for  him.  V.  14. 
After  all,  it  is  not  a  singular  case  ;  many  fellow-sufferers 
are  in  the  same  furnace.  V.  16,  17.  Such  a  thought  over- 
whelms, softens  him,  weans  him  from  this  world,  and  leads 
him  to  desire  another  and  a  better. 

2.    Chastening. 

Ps.  xciv.  12.  "Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou  chas- 
tenest,  O  Lord,  and  teachest  him  out  of  thy  law." 

Deut.  viii.  5.  "Thou  shalt  also  consider  in  thine  heart, 
that,  as  a  man  chasteneth  his  son,  so  the  Lord  thy  God 
chasteneth  thee. '" '" 

Heb.  xii.  6.  "Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth, 
and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth." 

Heb.  xii.  7.  "If  ye  endure  chastening,  God  dealeth 
with  you  as  with  sons  ;  for  what  son  is  he  whom  the 
Father  chasteneth  not }  ' ' 

Heb.  xii.  8.  "If  ye  be  wdthout  chastisement,  whereof 
all  are  partakers,  then  are  ye  ....    not  sons. 

Heb.  xii.  11.  "Now  no  chastening  for  the  present 
seemeth  to  be  joyous  but  grievous,  nevertheless  afterward 
it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness  to  them 
that  are  exercised  thereby." 

Heb.  xii.  16.  "Furthermore  we  have  had  fathers  of 
our  flesh  which  corrected  us,  and  we  gave  them  rever- 
ence :  shall  w^e  not  much  rather  be  in  subjection  to  the 
Father  of  spirits  and  live  ?  For  they  verily  for  a  few^  days 
chastened  us  after  their  own  pleasure  ;  but  he  for  our 
profit,  that  we   might  be  partakers  of  his  holiness." 

I  Cor.    xi.    ^2.     "But  w'hen   we   are  judged,    w-e  are 


84  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

chastened  of  the  Lord,  that  we  should  not  be  con- 
demned with  the  world.'* 

Heb.  xii.  12.  "Wherefore  lift  up  the  hands  that  hang 
down  and  the  feeble  knees." 

Prov.  iii.  11,  12.  "  My  son,  despise  not  the  chasten- 
ing of  the  Lord  ;  neither  be  weary  of  his  correction  : 
for  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  correcteth  ;  even  as  a 
father  the  son  in  whom  he  delighteth. 

All  the  afflicted  children  of  God  sustain  the  same  rela- 
tion to  him.  Whatever  be  the  different  forms  of  chastise- 
ment, they  may  avail  themselves  of  the  same  promises. 
Whether  on  the  rack  or  at  the  stake,  or  in  the  midst  of 
sickness,  poverty,  or  bereavement,  their  trials  are  alike 
perjnitied  by  Him  who  "  knoweth  the  way  that  we  take." 
Not  willingly  does  He  afflict,  but  in  faithfulness.  Does 
He  throw  us  into  the  furnace  of  affliction — perhaps  *'  seven 
times  heated"?  It  is  that  we  may  "  come  forth  as  gold." 
Does  he  "prune"  us?  It  is  that  we  may  "bear  more 
fruit."  Does  He  "empty  us  from  vessel  to  vessel"  ?  It 
is  that  we  may  not  rest  upon  our  lees.  Does  He  allow 
calamity  to  come  upon  us  as  on  Job  ?  It  is  that  we  may 
glorify  Him  in  the  fires  !     "  God  has  his  martyrs  stills 

J.    Exhortation. 

Ps.  xlvi.  10.  "Be  still,  and  know  that  I  am  God  :  I 
will  be  exalted  among  the  heathen,  I  will  be  exalted  in 
the  earth." 

Is.  xlviii.  17.  "I  am  the  Lord  thy  God  which  teacheth 
thee  to  profit,  which  leadeth  thee  by  the  way  that  thou 
shouldest  go." 

Mic.  vi.  9.  '■ '  Hear  ye  the  rod,  and  who  hath  app'btfited 
it." 

Lam.  iii.  ^^,  "  For  he  doth  not  afflict  willingly  nor 
grieve  the  children  of  men." 


WHA  T  IS  BE  A  Til  ?  85 

Job  ix.  12.  ''Behold,  he  taketh  away  ;  who  can  hinder 
him  ?  who  will  say  unto  him,  What  doest  thou  ?" 

Job  V.  17,  18.  "Behold,  happy  is  the  man  whom 
God  correcteth  :  therefore  despise  not  thou  the  chasten- 
ing of  the  Almighty  :  for  he  maketh  sore,  and  bindeth 
up  :  he  woundeth,  and  his  hands  make  whole."' 

Ps.  Iv.  22.  "Cast  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord,  and 
he  shall  sustain  thee  :  he  shall  never  suffer  the  righteous 
to  be  moved." 

Ps.  xlvi,  I.  "God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very 
present  help  in  trouble.'" 

Ps.  XXX.  5.  "Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but 
joy  cometh  in  the  morning." 

Ps.  xxvii.  14.  "Wait  on  the  Lord  :  be  of  good  cour- 
age, and  he  shall  strengthen  thine  heart  :  wait,  1  say,  on 
the  Lord." 

No  doctrine  is  so  full  of  consolation  and  so  adapted  to 
yield  support  in  the  hour  of  affliction  as  "  Himself  hath 
done  it"  (Is.  xxxviii.  15).  The  Scripture  saints  understood  it 
well.  Afflictions  do  not  come  out  of  the  ground  ;  do  not 
come  up  by  chance  ;  are  not  the  result  of  a  blind  and  un- 
meaning fate.  They  are  not  merely  the  work  of  Satan  or 
evil  men,  or  any  other  second  cause.  "  He  woundeth,  and 
His  hands  make  whole  I" 

4.    Consolatio7i. 

2  Cor.  i.  3,  4.  "Blessed  be  God,  even  the  P^ather  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the 
God  of  all  comfort;  who  comforteth  us  in  all  our  tribula- 
tion, that  we  may  be  able  to  comfort  them  which  are  in 
any  trouble,  by  the  comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are 
comforted  of  God." 

Is.  Ixvi.  13.    "As  one  whom  his  mother  comforteth,  so 


86  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

will  I  comfort  you  ;  and  }-e  shall  be  comforted  in  Jeru- 
salem. "' 

Is.  xli.  lo.  "Fear  thou  not ;  for  I  am  with  thee  ;  be 
not  dismayed  ;  for  I  am  thy  God  :  I  will  strengthen 
thee  ;  yea,  I  will  help  thee  ;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with 
the  right  hand  of  my  righteousness."" 

Is.  xliii.  2.  "When  thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I 
will  be  with  thee  ;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not 
overflow  thee  :  when  thou  walkest  through  the  fire,  thou 
shalt  not  be  burned  ;  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  upon 
thee. '  ■ 

Is.  liv.  lo.  "For  the  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the 
hills  be  removed  ;  but  my  kindness  shall  not  depart  from 
thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my  peace  be  re- 
moved, saith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy  on  thee."' 

John  xiii.  7.  "What  I  do,  thou  knowest  not  now,  but 
thou  shalt  know  hereafter,"' 

Rom.  V.  3-5.  "And  not  only  so,  but  we  glory  in 
tribulations  also  ;  knowing  that  tribulation  worketh  pa- 
tience ;  and  patience,  experience ;  and  experience,  hope  : 
and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed ;  because  the  love  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
which  is  given  unto  us." 

2  Cor.  iv.  17.  "For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but 
for  a  moment,  woTketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory. ' ' 

Thank  God  !  in  the  hour  of  trouble  we  are  not  left  to  the 
mercies  of  a  priest  or  Levite,  but  the  Good  Samaritan  Him- 
self is  ever  ready  to  pour  in  oil  and  wine  into  our  bleed- 
ing wounds.  There  is  Balm  in  Gilead.  There  is  a  Great 
Physician  there  ! 


IVHA  T  IS  DBA  TH  /  87 

5.    Rcsigjiation. 

Ps.  cxix.  75.  "I  know,  O  Lord,  that  thy  judgments 
are  right,  and  that  thou  in  faithfulness  hast  afflicted  me." 

Job  xxxvi.  3.  "And  will  ascribe  righteousness  to  my 
Maker. 

Gen.  xviii.  25.  "Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do 
right .?" 

Matt,  xxvi,  39.  ''O  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let 
this  cup  pass  from  me  :  nevertheless,  not  as  I  will,  but  as 
thou  wilt." 

I  Sam.  iii.  18.  "It  va  the  Lord:  let  him  do  what 
seemeth  him  good." 

Job  ii.  10.  "Shall  we  receive  good  at  the  hand  of 
God,  and  shall  we  not  receive  evil  }  In  all  this  did  not 
Job  sin  with  his  lips." 

Ps.  xxxix.  9.  "I  was  dumb,  I  opened  not  my  mouth, 
because  thou  didst  it. ' ' 

Job  i.  21.  "  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken 
away  ;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

Acts  xxi.   14.    "  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done." 

Hab.  iii.  17,  18.  "  Although  the  fig  tree  shall  not  blos- 
som, neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines  ;  the  labour  of  the 
olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat  ;  the 
flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be  no 
herd  in  the  stalls  :  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will 
joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation." 

Ps.  Ixxiii.  25,  26.  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ^ 
and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee. 
My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth  ;  but  God  is  the  strength 
of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  forever. 

"  Christ  bore  the  cross  and  suffered  the  shame,  among 


88  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

other  reasons  to  teach  us  how  to  go  through  suffering. 
There  is  a  clear  distinction  between  silence  and  sullenness. 
A  holy  silence  is  the  result  of  submission  to  God,  confi- 
dence in  Christ,  and  that  consolation  which  is  derived  from 
Him." — Cecil. 

"  A  sinner  has  no  reason  to  complain  ;  and  a  believing 
sinner — who  has  God's  favour,  support,  and  consolation— < 
has  no  reason  to  complain." — yohn  N'ewton. 

6,    Precious  Promises. 

Ps.  xxxiv.  19.  "  Many  are  the  afflictions  of  the  right- 
eous :  but  the  Lord  delivereth  him  out  of  them  all." 

Is.  xlii.  3.  "A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break,  and 
the  smoking  flax  shall  he  not  quench  :  he  shall  bring 
forth  judgment  unto  truth." 

Ps.  cxlvii.  3,  "  He  healeth  the  broken  in  heart,  and 
bindeth  up  their  wounds." 

Is.  xl.  29.  ''■  He  giveth  power  to  the  faint ;  and  to  them 
that  have  no  might  he  increaseth  strength." 

John  xiv.  18.  ''I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless  :  I  will 
come  to  you. 

Ps.  1.  15.  ''And  call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble  : 
I  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify  me." 

2  Cor.  xii.  9.  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  :  for  my 
strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness. 

Luke  vii.  23.  "Blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  not  be 
offended  in  me." 

"  It  is  not  a  little  remarkable  that  in  the  Hebrew  there 
is  no  special  term  for  pi-omise.  That  which  our  version 
renders  "  promise"  is  simply  "  word" — yes,  word — no 
more.  God's  word  is  His  promise.  With  men  more  may 
be  needed,  but  with  one  so  true,  so  loving,  so  powerful, 
so  unchangeable.  His  word  is  enough." — A.  Bonar. 

"  Every  promise  is  built  upon  four  pillars,  God's  Holi- 


WHA  T  IS  DEA  TH  ?  89 

ness,  which  will  not  suffer  Him  to  deceive  ;  His  Grace  or 
Goodness,  which  will  not  suffer  Him  to  forget  ;  His  Truth, 
which  will  not  suffer  Him  to  change  ;  and  His  Power, 
which  makes  Him  able  to  accomplish." 

7.    Sy77ipathy. 

Job  xix,  21,    ''  Have  pity  on  me,  have  pity  upon  me, 
O  ye  my  friends  ;  for  the  hand  of  God  hath  touched  me. 

Job  vi.   14.    "To  him  that  is  afflicted   pity  should  be 
shewed  from  his  friend,'' 

Prov.   xvii.   17.    "  A  friend  loveth  at  all  times,   and  a 
brother  is  born  for  adversity." 

Rom  xii.   15.    Rejoice  with  them  that  do  rejoice,  and 
weep  with  them  that  weep. 

Heb.  iv.  15.  "  For  we  have  not  an  high  priest  which 
cannot  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmides  ;  but 
was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin." 
John  xi.  33-35.  "  When  Jesus  therefore  saw  her  weep- 
ing, and  the  Jews  also  weeping  that  came  with  her,  he 
groaned  in  the  spirit,  and  was  troubled,  and  said,  Where 
have  ye  laid  him  }  They  said  unto  him,  Lord,  come  and 
see.     Jesus  wept. 

"  O  most  blessed  mourner,  with  whose  tears  thy  Saviour 
mingles  His  own  !  O  S3^mpathy  most  unparalleled  !  To 
each  of  the  two  stricken  and  afflicted  ones  the  Lord  ad- 
dressed the  very  consolation  that  was  most  congenial.  To 
Martha  He  gave  exceeding  great  and  precious. assurances, 
in  words  such  as  never  man  spoke.  To  Mary  He  com- 
municated the  groanings  of  His  spirit  in  language  more 
expressive  to  the  heart  than  any  spoken  words  could  be. 
With  Martha  Jesus  discoursed  and  reasoned.     With  Mary 

Jesus    wept He    is  a  patient    hearer  if   you 

have  anything  to  say  to  Him  ;  and  He  will  speak  to  you 
as  you  are  able  to  bear  it.  .  .  .  For  the  sorrow  that 
seeks  vent  in  words,  and  desires  also  to  be  soothed  by 


9©  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

words,   there    is    the    Saviour's    open    ear — tliere    are    the 
'          Saviour's  lips  into  which  grace  was  poured.     For  the  grief 
that  is  dumb  and  silent,  there  are  the  Saviour's  tears." — 
Candlish. 

"  I  do  not  find,  in  all  God's  Bible,  anything  requiring  us 
to  acquiesce  in  the  final  destruction  of  any  for  whom  we 
have  prayed,  pleaded,  and  committed  to  Him  ;  least  of  all, 
our  offspring  whom  he  has  commanded  us  to  train  up  for 
Him.  '  Children  are  God's  heiitage.'  I  do  not  say  He 
has  given  us  any  promise  for  the  obstinately  wicked  ;  but 
when  cut  off,  He  only  requires  us  to  be  still,  to  hold  our 
peace.  I  do  not  think  He  takes  hope  from  us." — From 
"  a  consoling  letter  "  of  Isabella  Graham. 

8.    Sorroiv,  when  Excessive, 

1.  When  we  forget  remaining  mercies  like  Jacob. 
Gen.  xxxvii.    35. 

2.  When  we  are  so  absorbed  in  our  own  sorrow  as  to  for- 
get that  of  others.-     Phil.  ii.  21. 

3.  When  it  sours  the  spirit  and  excites  mourning. 
Is.  xxix.  24. 

4.  When  it  preys  u|)on  the  health.      2  Cor.  ii.  7. 

5.  When  it  unfits    us  for  our  duties.      Mark  xiv.  '^'^. 

6.  When  we  vohmtarily  excite  and  stimulate  our  grief. 
2  Sam.  xxi.   10. 

7.  When  we  become  impatient  like  a  bullock  unac- 
customed to  the  yoke.      Jer.  xxxi.   18. 

8.  When,  like  Jonah  at  the  withering  of  his  gourd, 
we  become  angry,  and  wilh  whom  .^    Jonah  iv.  9. 

9.  When  with  the  man  of  Mt.  Ephraim  we  exclaim  in 
the  bitterness  of  our  disappointment,  '  '■  Ye  have  taken 
away  my  gods,  and  what  have  I  more  .-*' "      Judges  xviii.  24. 

10.  When  ours  is  "the  sorrow  of  the  world,  that 
worketh  death."      2  Cor.  vii.   10  :   Prov.  xvii.  22. 


IV HA  T  IS  DEA  TH  ?  91 

"  Sorrow  for  the  dead  is  the  only  sorrow  from  which  we 
refuse  to  he  divorced.  Every  other  wound  we  seek  to 
heal  ;  every  other  afifliction  to  forget  :  but  this  wound  we 
consider  it  a  duty  to  keep  open  ;  this  affliction  we  cherisli 
and  brood  over  in  solitude." — Irving. 

"There  is  a  kind  of  delight  in  sorrow,"  says  Seneca. 
Yes,  there  is,  but  it  is  a  subtile  form  of  selfishness,  and  eats 
into  the  heart  as  doth  a  canker.  Beware  of  it  as  you  would 
beware  of  poison. 

XXVIII.     Advice  to  the  Bereaved. 

Is.  xl.  I.  "Comfort  ye,  comfort  ye  my  people,  saith 
your  God." 

1.  The  Author  of  your  bereavement  is  God.  "Why 
dost  thou  strive  against  him  V     Job  xxxiii.   13. 

2.  Your  dearest  relatives  are  not  your  chief  good. 
The  Creator  is  better  than  the  creature,  and  God  is  still 
left  to  you.      Ps.  Ixxiii.  25. 

3.  However  unexpected  the  death  of  your  relative  or 
friend,  you  enjoyed  their  society  during  every  moment 
allotted  by  heaven.      Job  xiv.  5. 

4.  Whatever  be  your  grief  for  the  death  of  your  children, 
it  might  have  been  still  greater  from  their  life.  2  Sam. 
xvi.   II 

5.  God  may  have  taken  him  from  the  evil  to  come.  Is. 
Ivii.   I,  2. 

6.  To  be  human  is  to  be  mortal  ;  at  some  time  you  must 
part,  and  this  time  is  the  best.      Ps.  xx.xi.   15. 

7.  Perhaps  you  said  of  your  child  as  Lamech  said  of 
his:  "  This  same  shall  comfort  us.''  If  so,  you  were 
building  on  the  sand.      Matt.  vii.  26. 

8.  The  hope  of  resurrection  still  remains.  (<;/)  The 
same  body  shall  be  restored.    Job  xix.  27.     {h)  You  will 


92  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

recognize  it  again,     i  Thess.  ii.   19.      {c)  You  will  meet, 
never  more  to  part.    Rev.  xxi.   i  ;  iii.   1 2. 

9.  It  is  as  easy  for  God  to  revive,  as  to  extinguish,  our 
comforts.    Ps.  xviii.  28. 

10.  God  can  give  you  something  better  than  you 
have  lost.    Is.  Ivi.  5. 

11.  By  indulging  excessive  grief  you  give  advantage  to 
the  adversary  and  dishonour  God.  Ps.  Ixxiii.  13-15  ; 
Ps.  xlii.  3. 

12.  You  have  not  seen  the  end  of  your  affliction  as 
yet,  so  as  to  understand  all  its  merciful  designs.  Ps.  cxix. 
67,  71. 

Such  are  some  of  the  "considerations"  of  the  excellent 
Flavel,  which  have  been  tested  too  long  and  too  often  to 
leave  any  doubt  as  to  their  value. 

The  simple  difference  between  the  believer  and  the  un- 
believer, in  times  of  trial,  is  just  this  :  The  unbeliever, 
judging  of  the  character  of  God  by  the  trying  dispensation, 
does  not  look  beyond  the  circle  of  his  own  selfishness. 
He  judges  of  the  surgeon  by  the  knife  and  saw  and  cau- 
tery, and  the  present  suffering  that  they  occasion,  rather 
than  by  the  real  design  and  future  gain  of  such  a  torture. 
The  believer,  on  the  other  hand,  judges  of  his  trials  b)^  the 
character  of  God — of  the  nature  of  the  operation  by  the 
character  of  the  surgeon.  This  calamity,  he  says,  is  no 
accident— no  chance — no  fate — it  is  the  Finger  of  God. 
When  asked  whether  he  sees  the  reason  of  his  heavy  trial, 
he  says  with  Dr.  Payson  :  "No  !  but,  assured  that  it  is 
God's  will,  I  am  just  as  well  satisfied  as  if  I  had  ten  thou- 
sand reasons." 

XXIX.      Positive  Signs  of  Death. 

Premature  interment  is  feared  by  many,  and  it  is  im- 
portant to  know  the  positive  signs  of  death.  The  princi- 
pal points  are  : 


WHA  T  JS  DEA  TH  f  93 

1.  The  ''  Hippocralic  visage.'"  —  In  this  "the  nose  is 
pointed  ;  eyes  are  sunk  ;  temples  hollow;  ears  cold  and 
shrivelled,  and  with  lobes  turned  up  ;  skin  of  forehead 
hard,  tense  and  dry  ;  color  of  face  pale,  black,  livid,  or  of 
a  leaden  hue." 

2.  The  "  }'igor  mortis,"  or  stiffening  of  the  limbs  and 
body.  Carpenter  ("  Human  Physiology,"  p.  864)  requires 
this  rigidity  to  be  well  marked. 

3.  Piitrefaclion  generally  begins  by  a  discoloration  of 
the  abdomen.     Its  odor  places  the  fact  beyond  doubt. 

4.  Other  signs  are  :  loss  of  elasticity  in  the  eyelids, 
which  remain  as  they  are  placed  ;  absence  of  breath  or 
pulse,  though  these  are  not  positive  indications  of  death  ; 
and  the  coldness  and  insensibility  of  the  body.  [See  fur- 
ther on  these  points  Am.  Mai.  Recorder,  V.,  p.  39  ;  "  Med- 
ical Aspects  of  Death,"  by  Harrison,  London,  1852  ;  "On 
Trance  and  Catalepsy,"  Quart.  Journal  Psychological ]\Ied- 
icine,  ill.,  647;  Wharton  &  Stille,  or  Beck's,  "Medical 
Jurisprudence,"  or  any  reliable  work  on  Human  Physiol- 
ogy.] 

5.  If  doubt  exists  as  to  death,  refuse  the  ice-box.  If 
color,  heat,  flexibility  of  limbs,  etc.,  remain,  do  not  per- 
mit burial.  Josat  gives  162  instances  of  recovery  from  a 
trance  or  cataleptic  condition.  Apparent  death  was  long- 
est in  hysteria,  and  shortest  in  concussion  of  the  brain.  It 
lasted  in  7  cases  from  36  to  42  hours  ;  20  cases  from  20  to 
36  hours;  47  cases  from  15  to  20  hours  ;  58  cases  from  8 
to  15  hours  ;  30  cases  from  2  to  8  hours. 

Cataleptics  feel  pain,  hear,  and  think  as  usual,  but  are 
motionless  and  helpless.  Use  no  barbarous  7nethods  to  re- 
suscitate them.  Proper  care  will  prevent  all  mistakes. 
Bodies  turn  in  their  coffins  from  other  reasons  than  a 
struggle  for  life,  e.g.  development  of  gases. 

After  death  the  hair  and  beard  and  nails  frequently 
grow;  food  sometimes  digests;  the  kidneys  and  liver 
occasionally  secrete  as  before  ;  and  it  is  reported  that  the 
teeth  increase,  now  and  then,  in  size. 


94  THE  BURIAL  OF  7 VIE  DEAD. 

XXX.      The  Law  of  Burial. 

From  a  report  presented  by  Samuel  B.  Ruggles  (see 
H.  T.  Tuckerman's  article  in  the  Christian  Examiner, 
November,  1856,  p.  ^'^'^)  we  take  the  following  concise 
statement  of  the  rights  inherent  in  relatives  of  the  de- 
ceased.     It  is  there  demonstrated  : — 

"  I.  That  neither  a  corpse,  nor  its  burial,  is  legally  sub- 
ject in  any  way  to  ecclesiastical  cognizance,  nor  to  sacer- 
dotal power  of  any  kind. 

"  2.  That  the  right  to  bury  a  corpse  and  to  preserve  its 
remains  is  a  legal  right,  which  the  courts  of  law  will  rec- 
ognize and  protect. 

"3.  That  such  right,  in  the  absence  of  any  testamentary 
disposition,  belongs  to  the  next  of  kin. 

"  4.  That  the  right  to  protect  the  remains,  includes  the 
right  to  protect  them  b)'  separate  burial,  and  to  select  the 
place  of  sepulture,  and  change  that  at  pleasure. 

"5.   That  if  the  place  of  burial  be  taken  for  public  use, 
the  next  of  kin  may  claim  to  be  indemnified,  for  the  ex- 
pense of  removing  and  suitably  re-interring  the  remains." 
Cemeteries  have  rules  of  their  own  which  can  be  easily 
obtained,  and  which  no  general  guide  could  well  supply. 
The  word  "cemetery"  itself  means  "sleeping-place." 
In  a  similar  manner  the  Jews  called  their  burial-places  by 
such    names    as     ' '  house    of    assembly, " '  '  "  hostelry, 
"place   of   rest,"   "place   of    freedom."    "field    of  the 
weepers, "   "  house  of  eternity, "   "  house  of  life. 

"O  eloquent,  just,  and  mighty  Peath  !  Whom  none 
could  advise,  thou  hast  persuaded  !  What  none  have  dared, 
thou  hast  done  !  And  whom  all  the  world  hath  flattered, 
thou  only  hast  cast  out  of  the  world  and  despised  !  Thou 
hast  drawn  together  all  the  f.ir-fetched  greatness,  all  the 
pride,  cruelty, and  ambition  of  man  :  and  covered  it  all  over 
with  these  two  narrow  words  : 

Hie  jacet:' 

— Sir   M'alter  Raleigh  :  Conclusion  of  his  "  History  of  the  World.'' 


III. 

THE     FUNERAL. 


"The  life  of  a  Christen  man  is  nothynge  but  a  readines 
to  dye,  and  a  remembraunce  of  deatli." 

Hugh  Latimer:   Seventh  Sermon  before  Edw.VT. 


THE    FUNERAL. 

I.    The  Duties  of  the  Clergyman. 

The  late  Rev.  Enoch  Pond,  D.  D.  (Professor  for  many 
years  in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Bangor,  Me.),  has 
given  such  explicit  and  capital  directions  concerning 
funeral  services,  that  we  condense  them  here  from  his 
"Young  Pastor's  Guide." 

1.  A  minister  has  no  option  ;  he  must  attend  them. 
They  are  matters  in  which  his  feelings,  duties,  and  inter- 
ests are  equally  involved. 

2.  The  mode  of  attending  funerals  is  different  in  dif- 
ferent places.  But  the  services  embrace  always  an  address 
and  a  prayer.  In  the  country  they  are  often  of  more 
general  importance  than  in  town. 

3.  The  services,  including  hymns  and  Scripture,  should 
be  appropriate.  There  should  be  no  sameness  and  uni- 
formity. Let  the  peculiat'ities  of  the  case  direct  the 
minister  how  to  adapt  his  services. 

4.  Let  the  manner  of  the  speaker  be  sympathetic,  sub. 
dued,  and  tender.  If  a  man  love  his  people  it  can  hardly 
be  otherwise.      He  can  be  faithful  and  tender,  too. 

5.  The  services  should  be  short.  Most  funeral  pray- 
ers. Dr.  Pond  thinks,  are  too  long,  either  because  they 
are  too  general,  or  too  particular. 

6.  The  reasons  for  brevity  are   plain.      There  must  be 


9^  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

time  to  see  the  face,  to  attend  the  body  to  the  grave,  and 
to  return. 

7.  The  true  object  of  funeral  addresses  is  not  so  much 
to  eulogize  the  dead,  as  to  instruct,  comfort,  and  benefit 
the  living. 

8.  It  may  be  proper  to  speak  of  the  vices  of  the  de- 
ceased, when  'these  have  resulted  in  ruin  ;  but  only  in  the 
way  of  charity  and  kindness — if  at  all. 

9.  Let  the  speaker  trace  the  ovemding  providence  of 
God. 

10.  Let  him  show  this  as  the  true  ground  of  comfort. 
It  comforted  Eli:  ''It  is  the  Lord;  let  him  do  what 
seemeth  him  good. " '      i  Sam.  iii.   18. 

11.  Consolation  can  be  drawn  often  from  the  character 
of  the  dead.  IMourners  are  always  partial  friends,  and 
they  love  to  hear  a  kind  w^ord  from  their  minister.  But 
the  minister  must  keep  soberly  within  the  truth. 

12.  Other  consolations  are  those  of  religion,  in  case 
one  has  died  in  hope  and  peace.  In  cases  of  rather 
doubtful  piety  one  had  best  be  silent  He  need  disturb  no 
hopes,  but  he  must  be  careful  not  to  lower  the  standard 
of  Christian  living. 

13.  Dr.  Pond  objects  to  saying  openly  that  the  dead 
are  lost,     llie  inference  is  hard  enough  to  bear. 

14.  Funeral  sermons  generally  are  to  be  discouraged — 
especially  when  one  is  expected  to  take  the  Sabbath  for 
them.  It  certainly  ought  not  to  be  expected.  Indeed, 
one  mav  remark,  that  of  late  vears  it  is  unusual  to  look 
for  a  formal  discourse,  unless  the  dead  person  has  held 
public  positions  or  possessed  extended  influence. 

15.  Very    properly,    too.    Dr.    Pond    opposes    Sunday 


THE  FUNERAL.  99 

fimerals.  And  if  the  ministers  of  our  various  towns  and 
cities  combined  to  oppose  all  but  those  which  were  im- 
perative, there  would  be  a  marked  advantage  gained. 

1 6.  As  to  going  beyond  one's  oivn  parish,  Dr.  Pond 
counsels  prudence  and  wisdom.  Let  one  not  be  used  to 
encourage  churches,  or  communities,  in  depending  upon 
other  pastors,  and  refusing  to  ha\'e  what  they  are  well  able 
to  support.  We  may  add  that  Christian  and  ministerial 
courtesy  strictly  require,  that  one  should  never  supersede  a 
brother  minister,  in  the  duty  which  belongs  to  him  as  the 
pastor  of  the  dead.  Nor  should  families  neglect  that 
polite  and  kindly  treatment  of  the  clergyman,  which, 
when  forgotten,  makes  this  part  of  his  duty  sometimes 
both  difficult  and  delicate. 

17.  Finally,  let  the  minister  be  punctual.  Anything 
but  dilatoriness  at  a  funeral  ! 

II.    Preparation  for  Burial. 

' '  When  we  have  received  the  last  breath  of  our  friend 
and  closed  his  eyes,'"  says  good  Jeremy  Taylor,  "there 
is  a  time  to  weep  and  lament,  as  he  is  worthy.  Some- 
thing is  to  be  given  to  custom,  something  to  fame,  to 
nature,  and  to  civilities,  and  to  the  honor  of  the  deceased 
friend. 

"When  thou  hast  wept  a  while,  compose  the  body  to 
burial  :  which,  that  it  be  done  gravely,  decendy,  and 
charitably,  we  have  the  example  of  all  nations  to  engage 
us,  and  of  all  ages  of  the  world  to  warrant  ;  so  that  it  is 
against  common  honesty,  and  public  fame  and  reputation, 
not  to  do  this  office. 

"It  is  good   that   the  body  be  kept  veiled  and  secret. 


lOO  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

and  not  exposed  to  curious  eyes  ;  or  the  dishonors  brought 
by  the  changes  of  death  discerned  and  stared  u|)on  by 
impertinent  persons. 

"Let  it  be  interred  after  the  manner  of  the  country, 
and  the  laws  of  the  place,  and  the  dignity  of  the  person. 
For  so  Jacob  was  buried  with  great  solemnity,  and 
Joseph's  bones  were  carried  into  Canaan,  and  devout  men 
carried  Stephen  to  his  burial,  making  great  lamentation 
over  him.  And  so  our  blessed  Saviour  was  pleased  to  ad- 
mit the  cost  of  Mary's  ointment,  because  she  did  it  for 
his  burial.  In  this,  as  in  everything  else,  as  our  piety 
must  not  pass  into  superstition,  or  vain  expense,  so 
neither  must  the  excess  be  turned  into  parsimony,  and 
impiety  to  the  memory  of  the  dead." 

III.    ]\IiNisTERS  OF  Christ  to  be  sent  for. 

Acts  ix.  36-39.  "Now  there  was  at  Joppa  a  certain 
disciple  named  Tabitha,  which  by  interpretation  is  called 
Dorcas  :  this  woman  was  full  of  good  works  and  alms- 
deeds  which  she  did.  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days 
that  she  was  sick,  and  died  :  whom  when  they  had 
washed,  they  laid  her  in  an  upper  chamber.  And  foras- 
much as  Lydda  was  nigh  to  Joppa,  and  the  disciples  had 
heard  that  Peter  was  there,  thev  sent  unto  him  two  men, 
desiring  him  that  he  would  not  delay  to  come  to  them. 
Then  Peter  arose  and  went  with  them. ' ' 

Every  one  who  dies  in  a  Christian  land  is  entitled  to  a 
Christian  burial,  and  the  minister  who  refuses  such  ser- 
vice has  little  sympathy  with  the  apostle  or  with  Barnabas, 
the  "Son  of  consolation,"  and  least  of  all  with  his  Master. 
"  Learn  much  of  Christ  in  such  an  hour,"  says  McCheyne. 
"  Study  Him  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus  (John  xi.);  at  the  gate 
of  Nain  (Luke  vii.),  and  also  '  within  the  veil'  (Rev.  i.  18)." 


THE  FUNERAL.  loi 

IV.  The  First  Funeral. 

Gen.  xxiii.  2-4,  19,  20.  "And  Abraham  came  to 
mourn  for  Sarah,  and  to  weep  for  her.  x\nd  Abraham 
stood  up  from  before  his  dead,  and  spake  unto  the  sons  of 
Heth,  saying,  I  am  a  stranger  and  a  sojourner  with  you  : 
give   me  a  possession  of  a  burying-place  with  you,  that 

I  may  bury  my  dead  out  of  my  sight And 

after  this  Abraham  buried  Sarah  his  wife  in  the  cave  of 
the  field  of  Machpelah  before  Mamre  :  the  same  is  Hebron 
in  the  land  of  Canaan.  And  the  field  and  the  cave  that 
is  therein,  were  made  sure  unto  Abraham  for  a  possession 
of  a  burying-place  by  the  sons  of  Heth.'" 

"  I.  Here  is  deep  feeling  for  a  fellow-pilgrim's  death.  2. 
Here  is  the  pilgrim  feeling  increased  :  anew  he  con- 
fesses that  he  is  but  a  stranger  here.  3.  Here  is  faith  as 
well  as  feeling,  for  therefore  it  is  he  buries  Sarah  in 
Canaan.  He  believes  the  word  of  God  about  that  land, 
and  he  looks  forward  to  resurrection  by  Him  who  is  to  be 
revealed  there.  4.  These  are  the  accompaniments  of  the 
first  ftineral  vi\QX\\.\ovi^Ci.  in  the  Bible." — A.   Bonar. 

V.  The  Burial  of  Rachel. 

Gen.  xlviii.  7.  "And  as  for  me,  w^hen  I  came  from 
Padan,  Rachel  died  by  me,  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  in  the 
way,  when  yet  there  was  but  a  little  way  to  come  unto 
Ephrath  :  and  I  buried  her  there,  in  the  way  of  Ephrath  ; 
the  same  is  Beth-lehem." 

In  these  broken  sentences  one  can  almost  hear  the  sighs 
and  heart-throbs  of  the  depatting  patriarch.  The  scene  of 
Rachel's  death  was  just  as  vivid  before  his  mind,  as  though 
it  had  occurred  but  the  day  before. 

(Cf.  Abraham's  burial.  Gen.  xxv.  g  ;  Isaac's,  Gen.  xxxv. 
29  ;  Jacob's,  Gen.  1.,  and  Abner's,  2  Sam.  iii.  31.) 


I02       ^  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

\Olhcr  ins  lances  :—k'\xoK\,  Deut.  x.  6.  Saul,  2  Sam.  ii. 
4,  5  ;  I  Chron.  x.  ii,  i2  ;  2  Sam,  xxi.  12-14.  Samson, 
Judges  xvi.  3r.  The  head  of  Ishbosheth,  2  Sam.  iv.  12. 
Rehoboam,  i  Kings  xiv.  31.  Asa,  i  Kings  xv.  24.  Jehosh- 
aphat,  I  Kings  xxii.  50.  Ahaziah,  2  Kings  ix.  27,  28. 
Hezekiah,  2  Cliron.  xxxii.  33.  Ananias  and  Sapphira, 
Acts  V.  6,  9,  10.] 

V^I.    The  Burial  of  Jesus. 

''And  now  when  the  even  was  come,  there  came  a 
rich  man  of  Arimathea,  ...  a  good  man  and  a  just,,  .  . 
who  was  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  .  .  .  who  went  in  boldly  unto 
Pilate  and  craved  the  body  of  Jesus.  x\nd  when  Pilate 
knew  of  the  centurion  that  Jesus  was  already  dead,  he 
gave  the  body  to  Joseph.  And  he  bought  fine  linen,  and 
came  and  took  the  body  of  Jesus,  And  there  came  also 
Nicodemus,  who  brought  a  mixture  of  myrrh  and  aloes, 
about  a  hundred  pounds  weight.  Then  took  they  the 
body  of  Jesus,  and  wound  it  in  the  hnen  clothes  with  the 
spices,  as  the  manner  of  the  Jews  is  to  bury.  Now  in  the 
place  where  he  was  crucified  there  was  a  garden,  and  in 
the  garden  a  new  sepulchre  hewn  out  of  the  rock,  where- 
in was  never  man  laid,  which  belonged  to  Joseph.  And 
there  was  Mary  Magdalene  and  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jo- 
ses,  sitting  over  against  the  sepulchre,  and  beheld  where 
he  was  laid.  And  they  returned  and  prepared  spices  and 
ointments." — Gospels  in  Harmony. 

Joseph  and  Nicodemus — the  two  Marys — the  fine  linen 
the  winding-sheet — the  spices — the  new  sepulchre — the 
"  sitting  over  against  the  sepulchre." — How  suggestive  all 
these  incidents  to  the  "  disciples  of  Jesus"  ! 

"All  the  thoughts  and  exercises  of  my  mind  are  em- 
ployed in  the  tomb  of  Jesus.    He  is  dead — I  die  with  Him. 


THE  FUNERAL.  103 

To  please  Him  I  will  mortify  my  sinful  flesh.  All  my 
desires  and  lusts  will  I  take  captive.  I  vviiT  bury  them  in 
His  grave.  Never  shall  they  rule  again  in  me.  His  deaih 
shall  be  my  life.  If  I  die  with  Him  I  shall  also  live  with 
Him.  I  will  wet  His  grave  with  the  tears  of  penitence. 
My  heart  shall  be  the  fine  clean  linen  into  which  I  will 
wrap  Him.  Thus  will  His  sufferings  bless  my  soul.  I  will 
seal  up  His  remembrance  in  my  heart.  Love  shall  be  the 
seal.  When  I  die  I  shall  die  in  His  arms.  Delightful  rest 
shall  I  enjoy  there.  His  shroud  shall  be  my  ornament  ; 
His  coffin  my  grave." — Old  Writer. 

"The  good  man  placed  the  body  of  Jesus  in  a  tomb  in 
the  rock  where  yet  never  man  was  laid.  Let  there  be 
hewn  out  oi  your  rocky  hearts,  not  a  sepulchre  for  the 
dead,  but  a  residence  for  the  living  Christ." — From  extem- 
pore speech  of  Dr.  John  Hall. 

"  Looking  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty"  is,  literally, 
"stooping  down  and  looking  in."  When  we  have  done 
so  we  find  that  the  Christ,  whom  no  mere  words  can  hold 
in  their  rocky  embrace,  has  risen  and  comes  to  call  us  by 
our  very  name.  Happy  are  we  if  we  are  able  to  say 
"  Rabboni  !" 

VII.    Deprivation  of  Burial  a  Calamity. 

Ecc.  vi.  3,  4,  "If  a  man  beget  an  hundred  children, 
and  live  many  years,  so  that  the  days  of  his  years  be 
many,  and  his  soul  be  not  filled  with  good,  and  also  that 
he  have  no  burial  ;  I  say,  that  an  untimely  birth  is  better 
than  he.  For  he  cometh  in  with  vanity,  and  departeth  in 
darkness,  and  his  name  shall  be  covered  with  darkness.*' 

(Cf.  Deut.  xxviii.  26  ;  i  Kings  xvi.  4  ;  xxi.  2^,  24  ; 
2  Kings  ix.  10,  37  ;  Ps.  Ixxix.  2  ;  Is.  xiv.  19  ;  Jer.  vii. 
^^  ;  xvi.  4  ;  xxv.  ^^  ;  xxxiv.  20  ;  ]\Iark  vi.  29  ;  Acts  ii. 
29,  etc.)     ^IJ^^  Ezek.  xxxix.   11-16. 

The  important  inference  to   be  drawn  from  this  loss  of 


104  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

burial,  is^hat  of  the  sacredness  of  the  human  bod)^  He 
who  bids  us  render  our  bodies  to  his  service,  teaches  us  to 
honor  them  even  after  death. 

VIII.  Burial  among  Primitive  Christians. 

In  the  early  ages  of  the  Church,  when,  to  use  a  strik- 
ing figure  of  Jerome,  "the  blood  of  Christ  was  yet  warm 
in  the  veins  of  His  disciples,"  they  were  distinguished  by 
their  care  for  the  dead,  and  their  sympathies  with  the 
afflicted.  Their  funeral  solemnities  they  celebrated  with 
gravity  and  propriety,  with  the  intent  of  showing  due  re- 
spect to  the  deceased,  and  of  administering  consolation  to 
the  survivors.  Their  funeral  services  were  performed  as  a 
public  religious  duty  ;  and  this  is  one  of  the  three  points 
in  which  they  were  commended  by  the  apostate  Julian. 

"The  early  Christians  were  accustomed  to  entertain 
cheerful  views  of  death,  as  a  soft  and  gentle  slumber, 
from  which  they  awoke  to  a  joyful  immortality.  The  com- 
mon emblems  of  death  on  their  sepulchral  monuments 
were  an  anchor,  a  lyre,  a  harp,  a  ship  under  full  sail  ;  or  a 
phoenix,  a  crown,  a  palm,  or  other  symbols  of  hope,  and 
of  victory,  and  of  joy." — Coleman  :  "Ancient  Christianity." 

IX.  Cremation. 

This  was  purely  a  heathen  practice.  Dr.  Becker,  in  his 
'*  Charicles,"  gives  an  exhaustive  sketch  of  Greek  funereal 
customs.  It  is  interesting  to  observe  how  many  of  these 
we  have  made  our  own — e.g.^  the  right  of  a  corpse  to 
burial  ;  the  anointing  and  washing  of  the  body  and  the  use 
of  the  white  shroud  ;  the  employment  of  garlands  of  flow- 
ers ;  the  laying  out  of  the  dead  and  the  attendance  of  the 
relatives  and   friends  ;  the  burial   on   the  third  day  ;  the 


THE  FUNERAL.  105 

procession  following  the  bier,  which  is  borne  by  relatives 
or  friends  ;  the  final  burying  in  a  wooden  or  stone  coffin. 
But  we  have  his  high  authority  for  saying  that  hiirjting 
was  no  more  frequent  than  burying.  We  have  Christian- 
ized the  ordinary  Greek  ceremonies — omitting  the  oboliis 
between  the  teeth  and  the  honey-cake  by  the  hand.  But 
we  will  find  it  hard  to  adopt  the  idea  of  cremation,  in  the 
face  of  the  evident  dislike  to  it  in  scripture.  The  "burn- 
ings of  the  kings"  were  not  the  burning  of  their  bodies, 
but  of  fragrant  woods  and  incense  (2  Chron.  xvi.  14  ; 
Jer.  xxxiv.  4,  5). 

(Cf.   I  Sam.  xxxi.   12  ;   Amos  ii.   i  ;   vi.  9,   10.) 

X.   Obituaries,  Inscriptions,  and  Epitaphs. 

/.  The  Obituary  \'&  a  notice  of  a  person's  death,  accom- 
panied by  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life  and  character.  Brev- 
ity, truth,  fitness,  and  force  are  essential  qualities.  In 
obituaries  it  seems  proper  to  mention  salient  features  and 
incidents  of  the  life — fine  characteristics — distinguished 
public  and  private  services — and,  under  certain  circum- 
stances, the  peculiar  nature  of  the  death.  Fulsome  flat- 
tery or  eulogy  is  wrong.  A  just,  discriminating,  and 
manly  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased,  executed 
in  good  taste,  is  always  best. 

2.  Monumental  Inscriptions. 

"  It  is  natural  that  filial  piety,  parental  tenderness,  and 
conjugal  love,  should  mark  with  some  fond  memorial  the 
spot  where  the  once  loved  form  now  moulders  into  dust. 
A  marble  monument,  with  an  inscription  palpably  false,  or 
ridiculously  pompous,  is  as  really  offensive  to  true  taste  as 


I06  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

the  skull   and  cross-bones.    .    .    .  The  style  of  such  in- 
scriptions is  usually  too  diffuse." — Alexander  Knox. 

J.   Epitaphs. 

Legh  Richmond  says,  ''I  have  often  lamented  .... 
that  some  of  the  inscriptions  were  coarse  and  ridiculous  ; 
others  absurdly  flattering ;  many  expressive  of  senti- 
ments at  variance  with  the  true  principles  of  the  word  of 
God  ;  not  a  few  barren  and  unaccompanied  with  a  single 
word  of  useful  instruction  to  the  reader.  ...  I  wish 
that  every  gravestone  might  not  only  record  the  names 
of  our  deceased  friends,  but  also  proclaim  the  name  of 
jesus,  as  the  only  name  given  under  heaven  whereby  men 
can  be  saved. 

"  The  first  requisite  in  an  epitaph  is  that  it  should  speak, 
in  a  tone  which  shall  sink  into  the  heart,  the  general  lan- 
guage of  humanity  as  connected  with  the  subject  of 
death — the  source  from  which  an  epitaph  proceeds  ;  of 
death  and  life.  To  be  born,  and  to  die,  are  the  two  points 
in  which  all  men  feel  themselves  to  be  in  absolute  coin- 
cidence."—  Wordsivorth, 


IV. 

HINTS     FOR     SERMONS    AND 
ADDRESSES. 


"  In  the  Scriptures  he  finds  four  things  ;  precepts  for  life, 
doctrines  for  knowledge,  examples  for  illustration,  and  prom- 
ises for  comfort  :   these  he  hath  digested   severally." 

George  Herbert  :  "A  Puest  to  the  Temple." 


IV.— HINTS    FOR    SERMONS    AND 
ADDRESSES. 

I.      Death  in  Infancy. 

Jer.  xxxi.  15-17.  "Thus  saith  the  Lord,  A  voice  was 
heard  in  Ramah,  lamentation,  and  bitter  weeping  ; 
Rachel  weeping  for  her  children  refused  to  be  comforted 
for  her  children,  because  they  were  not.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  Refrain  thy  voice  from  weeping,  and  thine  eyes 
from  tears  :  for  thy  work  shall  be  rewarded,  saith  the 
Lord  ;  and  they  shall  come  again  from  the  land  of  the 
enemy.  And  there  is  hope  in  thine  end,  saith  the  Lord, 
that  thy  children  shall  come  again  to  their  own  border." 

I.  The  human  sense  of  loss.  2.  The  divine  comfort. 
3.  The  reward  of  work.     4.   The  hope  for  the  childreri. 

Matt.  xix.  14.  "  But  Jesus  said.  Suffer  little  children, 
and  forbid  them  not,  to  come  unto  me  ;  for  of  such  is 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. ' ' 

I.  "Redemption,"  says  Mercein,*  "placed  the  first 
child  in  its  mother's  arms."  2.  The  less  we  know  of  evil 
wisdom  the  easier  it  is  to  "  come  to  Jesus."  3.  We  are 
forbidden  to  forbid  them.  4.  Heaven  is  their  happiest 
place  ;  the  city  is  "full  of  boys  and  girls  pla)'^ing  in  the 
streets"  (Zech.  viii.  5). 

2  Kings  iv.  26.    "  Run  now,  I  pray  thee,  to  meet  her, 

*  "Childhood  and  the  Church,"  p.  19. 


no  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

and  say  unto  her,  Is  it  well  with,  thee  ?  is  it  well  with  thy 
husband  ?  is  it  well  with  the  child  ?  And  she  answered, 
It  is  well." 

"Whatever  has  been  His  will  is  well — grandly  well  — 
well  even  for  that  in  me  which  feared,  and  in  those  very 
respects  in  which  it  feared  that  it  might  not  be  well.  The 
whole  being  of  me,  past  and  present,  shall  say  :  it  is  in- 
finitely well,  and  I  would  not  have  it  otherwise." — George 
MacDonald. 

This  was  :  i.  Death  by  a  summer  sickness.  2.  A  sud- 
den death.  3.  The  death  of  an  only  child. — The  light  of 
faith  is  brighter  because  of  the  rifted  cloud  through  which 
it  shines. 

Gen.  xxi.  16.  ''  For  she  said,  Let  me  not  see  the 
death  of  the  child." 

Hagar. — The  mother's    struggle.      i.  It  was  her  child. 

2.  It  was  a  child  whom  she  hoped  to  see  in  a  high  station. 

3.  The  grief  and  disappointment  over  the  impending 
death.  [This  is  not  the  child  of  prayer  and  promise  that 
Isaac  was.] 

Sol.  Song  vi.  2.    "  My  beloved  is  gone  down  into  his 

garden,      ...      to  gather  lilies. ' ' 

I.  How  pure  they  are  !  2.  Yet  how  easily  they  sully 
and    fade  !      3.    He  who    loves    them  gathers    them  soon. 

4.  It  is  the  Beloved  and  it  is  His  garden. 

2  Sam.  xii.  23.  "But  now  he  is  dead,  wherefore 
should  I  fast }  can  I  bring  him  back  again  .^  I  shall  go 
to  him,  but  he  shall  not  return  to  me." 

I.  Persistent  grief  is  always  wrong,  because  it  is  useless. 
2.  We  shall  go  to  the  children.  3.  We  are  led  thus  to  think 
more  of  heaven,  for  it  makes  it  more  homelike  to  have 
the  children  there. 

1^^^  David's  sin  was  the  scribe  of  his  sorrow.  His 
crime   had    a    resurrection    in    his  grief.       N'ote  :    that  we 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  ill 

may  repent  and  be  forgiven,   but   God   does    not    intend 
that  we  s\\o\x\^  forget  from  what  He  saves  us. 

Ps.  Ixxxix.  45-  "'i'he  days  of  his  youth  hast  thou 
shortened. 

Many  times  we  can  see  why  the  life  was  shortened. 
Again  it  is  hard  and  perhaps  impossible  to  do  so.  But, 
like  the  prelude  to  a  symphony,  we  cannot  complain  when 
what  comes  after  is  so  glorious, 

Zech.  viii.  5.  "And  the  streets  of  the  city  shall  be  full 
of  boys  and  girls  playing  in  the  streets  thereof. ' ' 

The  heavenly  Jerusalem  will  be  full  of  such  gladness 
and  freedom,  i.  In  the  other  world  children  will  have 
changed  less,  than  those  who  are  older  and  "further  off 
from  heaven."  (Cf.  Thomas  Hood's  poem,  "  I  remember, 
I  remember.")  2.  He  who  watched  the  children  at  their 
sports  here  (Matt.  xi.  16  ;  Lu.  vii.  32)  will  not  restrain 
their  spirits  there.  3.  Nowadays  the  child  dies  "an  hun- 
dred )^ears  old"  (///.  "lad,"  Is.  Ixv.  20),  through  opportu- 
nities of  knowledge  which  the  ancients  never  had.  4.  Let 
us  be  thankful  that  childlike  children  here  (Mark  x.  15)  and 
hereafter  (Rev.  xii.  5)  are  heaven's  own. 

Matt,  xviii.  10,  "Take  heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of 
these  little  ones  ;  for  I  say  unto  you,  That  in  heaven 
their  angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father  which 
is  in  heaven. " 

A  notable  and  neglected  truth.  The  child  is  the  true 
citizen  of  heaven  (Lu.  xviii.  17),  and  the  pure  in  heart 
alone  shall  see  God  (Matt.  v.  8). 

"  The  lines  of  truth  or  error,  seen  from  the  hearth-side 
through  that  trustful  eye,  are  the  meridians  and  parallels 
which  will  map  out  all  after-existence." — Mercein. 

Jonah  iv.  7.  ' '  But  God  prepared  a  worm  when  the 
morning  rose  the  next  day,  and  it  smote  the  gourd  that  it 
withered." 


112  THE  BCRJAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

I.  He  who  planted  can  wither.  2.  The  least  disease 
(a  "  worm")  is  to  be  dreaded,  if  we  begin  to  forget  Him. 
3.  But  see  how  God  guided  Jonah  through  this,  for  he  was 
hard-hearted  about  the  woe  of  others. 

Kisagotami's  child  died.  She  went  to  Buddha  and 
asked  help.  He  bade  her  bring  him  a  handful  of  mustard- 
seed  from  a  house  where  no  death  had  occurred.  But 
when,  with  her  child  on  her  hip,  she  went  from  house  to 
house,  death  had  always  preceded  her.  Then  she  learned 
that  sorrow  came  to  others  as  well  as  to  herself,  and  she 
buried  the  child  in  a  wood. — Condensed  from  Max  Mullers 
Translation. 

Job.  xxix.  2-5.  "  Oh  that  I  were  as  in  months  past,  as 
in  the  days  when  God' preserved  me;  when  his  candle 
shined  upon  my  head,  and  when  by  his  light  I  walked 
through  darkness  ;  as  I  was  in  the  days  of  my  youth, 
when  the  secret  of  God  was  upon  my  tabernacle  ;  when 
the  Almighty  was  yet  with  me,  when  my  children  were 
about  me." 

Compare  with  this  Job  xlii.  10-17.  Notice  that  as  soon 
as  the  selfishness  of  sorrow  passed  away  (v.  10,  "  When  he 
prayed  for  his  friends")  God  restored  to  him  the  joy  of 
His  presence. 

This  is  especially  fit  for  those  who  do  not  lose  children 
until  middle-age. 

I  Chron.  vii.  22.  "  And  Ephraim  their  father  mourned 
many  days,  and  his  brethren  came  to  comfort  him." 

Truly  "  a  brother  is  born  for  adversit}-. " 
"  Christ  is  the  friend  of  the  heart,  its   needed  friend,  as 
certainly  as  He  is  the  Saviour  of  the  soul." — Dora  G?'eenzuell. 

Joel  i.  7.  "■  He  hath  laid  my  vine  waste,  and  barked 
my  fig  tree  :  he  hath  made  it  clean  bare,  and  cast  it  away  ; 
the  branches  thereof  are  made  white." 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  113 

How  many  are  the  girdled  trees  that  seem  only  to  await 
their  fall !  To  strip  the  young  twigs  from  the  vine,  and 
the  young  bark  from  the  fig  tree,  is  the  analogy  to  the  loss 
of  children. 

Is.  xl.  II.  "He  shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd  : 
ITe'SHall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  carry  them  in 
his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  those  that  are  with 
young. 

Very  often  by  taking  the  lambs  into  his  "upper  fold," 
and  thus  laying- up  these  treasures  in  heaven,  he  leads  the 
parents  there  also. 

Is.  xlix.  2  1.  "I  have  lost  my  children,  and  am  deso- 
late, a  captive,  and  removing  to  and  fro. ' ' 

Homes  "  removed  to  and  fro";  grief,  making  us  deso- 
late and  bringing  us  into  captivity — these  are  the  frequent 
results  of  the  loss  of,  children. 

"  Cf.  Eli's  sorts,  '  In  one  day  they  shall  die.' — i  Sam.  ii. 
34.  Jeroboam's  son,  '  When  thy  feet  enter  the  city,  the 
child  shall  die.' — i  Kings  xiv.  12.  The  widow's  son, 
*  Art  thou  come  to  call  my  sin  to  remembrance  and  to  slay 
my  son  ?  ' — i  Kings  xvii.  18.  The  Shunaniite' s  son,  'Sat 
on  her  knee^  till  noon  and  died.' — 2  Kings  iv.  20.  Job's 
childy-en,  'The  house  fell,  ,  .  .  and  they  are  dead.' — 
Job  i.  ig.  The  Rtiler' s  daughter,  'My  daughter  is  even 
now  dead.' — Matt.  ix.  18.  The  widow  of  Nain's  son, 
'  The  Lord  said,  Weep  not.' — Luke  vii.  13." — Seed-  Thought. 

II.      In  Early  Life. 

I  Sam.  ii.  i'^^,  34.  "And  the  man  of  thine,  whom  I 
shall  not  cut  off  from  mine  altar,  shall  be  to  consume 
thine  eyes,  and  to  grieve  thine  heart  :  and  all  the  in- 
crease of  thine  house  shall  die  in  the  flower  of  their  age. 
And  this  shall  be  a  sign  unto  thee,  that  shall  come  upon 


114  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

thy  two  sons,  on  Hophni  and  Phinehas  ;  in  one  day  thev 
shall  die,  both  of  them.'"' 

A  dead  grief  is  better  than  a  living  one. 

(Cf.  Samuel's  own  children,  i  Sam.  viii.) 

Luke  vii.  11-13.  "And  it  came  to  pass  the  day  after, 
that  he  went  into  a  city  called  Nain  ;  and  many  of  his 
disciples  went  with  him,  and  much  people.  Now  w^hen 
he  came  nigh  to  the  gate  of  the  city,  behold,  there  was  a 
dead  man  carried  out,  the  only  son  of  his  mother,  and 
she  was  a  widow  :  and  much  people  of  the  city  was  with 
her.  And  when  the  Lord  saw  her,  he  had  compassion 
on  her,  and  said  unto  her,  Weep  not." 

The  "only  son  of  a  widow."  When  we  say,  "Weep 
not,"  it  is  of  little  use.  But  when  Chtist  says,  "  Weep 
not,"  the  tears  are  dried.  He,  who  had  compassion  on 
Mary  at  the  cross,  had  compassion  on  this  mother. 

"  We  read  that  'there  came  a  fear  on  all,'  at  Nain,  when 
the  young  man  was  raised.  What  then  shall  be  the  feelings 
of  mankind,  when  all  the  dead  are  raised  at  once?" — Ryle. 

Mark  V.  I'i^,  39.  "And  besought  him  greatly,  saying, 
My  little  daughter  lieth  at  the  point  of  death  :  I  pray  thee, 
come  and  lay  thy  hands  on  her,  that  she  may  be  healed  ; 
and  she  shall  live.  .  .  .  And  when  he  was  come  in, 
he  saith  unto  them,  Why  make  ye  this  ado,  and  weep .? 
the  damsel  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth. " 

An  only  daughter,  twelve  years  of  age.  Lit.  "^  My  dear 
little  daughter." 

Gen.  xxii.  12.  "Now  I  know  that  thou  fearest  God, 
seeing  thou  hast  not  withheld  thy  son,  thine  only  son, 
from  me." 

An  only  son,  and  his  surrender  a  test   of  love   to   God. 


TEXTS,   TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  115 

Gen.  xxxvii,  30.  "And  he  returned  unto  his  brethren, 
and  said,  The  child  is  not ;  and  I,  whither  shall  I  go?" 

In   bereavement   we  must   turn   somewhere,  and  where 

but  to  Him  by  whom  we  are  smitten  ?     He  hath  smitten, 

and  He  can  heal. 

Gen.  xxxvii,  34,  35.   "And  Jacob  rent  his  clothes,  and 

put  sackcloth  upon  his  loins,  and  mourned  for  his  son 

many  days.      And  all  his  sons  and  all  his  daughters  rose 

up  to  comfort  him  ;  but  he  refused  to  be  comforted  ;  and 

he  said,  For  I  will  go  down  into  the  grave  unto  my  son 

mourning.      Thus  his  father  wept  for  him." 

A  persistent,  resistant  grief.  We  do  not  know  what  the 
grave  is,  but  we  would  go  there  rather  than  be  separated. 
But  is  this  the  remedy  ? 

Gen.    xlii.    36.     "And   Jacob,    their  father,    said  unto 

them.  Me  have  ye  bereaved  of  my  children  ;  Joseph  is 

not,    and    Simeon    is    not,    and  ye  will    take   Benjamin 

away  ;  all  these  things  are  against  me." 

Repeated  bereavement,  and  Jacob's  mistake. 
"  It  proved  otherwise,  that  all  these  things  were /i^r  him, 
.    .    •   yet  here  he  thinks  them  all  against  him." — M.Henry. 

Gen.  xliv.  20.  ''And  we  said  unto  my  lord.  We  have 
a  father,  an  old  man,  and  a  child  of  his  old  age,  a  little 
one  ;  and  his  brother  is  dead,  and  he  alone  is  left  of  his 
mother,  and  his  father  loveth  him." 

A  "child  of  old  age."  Note:  the  junction  of  Judah 
and  Benjamin  in  later  years.  * 

2  Sam.  xiv.  7.    ' '  So  they  shall   quench  my  coal  w^iich 

is  left.  '■ ' 

The  last  child  of  a  household. — The  woman  of  Tekoah, 
sent  by  Joab  to  David. 

Ps.  cii.   24.    "I  said,  O  my  God,  take  me  not  away  in 


Il6  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

the  midst  of  my  days  :  thy  years  are  throughout  all  gen- 
erations." 

We  prefer  our  "days"  to  God's  "years";  the  visible  is 
more  to  us  than  the  eternal.  Note  :  this  clinging  to  life 
may  be  either  very  noble  or  very  base.  We  may  desire  to 
do  more  for  God  on  earth,  or  we  may  love  our  pleasures 
too  much  to  leave  them. 

III.      Death  in  the  Family. 

Num.  XX.  I.  "Then  came  the  children  of  Israel,  even 
the  whole  congregation,  into  the  desert  of  Zin  in  the  first 
month  :  and  the  people  abode  in  Kadesh  ;  and  Miriam 
died  there  and  was  buried  there.'"' 

A   sister. — i.    Miriam    was    Moses'   watcher    (Ex.  ii.  4). 

2.  The  singer  (and  com.poser)  of  a  sacred  song  (Ex.  xv.  20). 

3.  A  leader  among  the  women  (Ex.  xv.  20,  21).  4.  Healed 
by  the  prayer  of  Moses  (Num.  xii.  13).  5.  Respected  by 
Israel  (Num.  xii.  15). 

2  Sam.  xxi.  8-10.  "But  the  king  took  the  two  sons  of 
Rizpah,  the  daughter  of  Aiah,  whom  she  bare  unto  Saul, 
Armoni  and  Mephibosheth  ;  and  the  five  "sons  of  ]\Iichal 
the  daughter  of  Saul,  whom  she  brought  up  for  Adriel, 
the  son  of  Barzillai,  the  Meholathite.  And  he  delivered 
them  into  the  hands  of  the  Gibeonites,  and  they  hanged 
them  in  the  hill  before  the  Lord  :  and  they  fell  all  seven 
together,  and  were  put  to  death  in  the  days  of  harvest,  in 
the  fir^t  days,  in  the  beginning  of  barley  harvest.  And 
Rizpah  the  daughter  of  Aiah  took  sackcloth,  and  spread 
it  for  her  upon  the  rock,  from  the  beginning  of  harvest 
until  water  dropped  upon  them  out  of  heaven,  and  suf- 
fered neither  the  birds  of  the  air  to  rest  on  them  by  day, 
nor  the  beasts  of  the  field  by  night." 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  II7 

The  story  of  Rizpah  is  the  most  sorrowful  of  those 
records  where  the  heart  refuses  to  be  comforted.  It  is  the 
essence  of  maternal  grief. 

2  Sam.  xiii.  39.  "And  the  soul  of  king  David  longed 
to  go  forth  unto  Absalom  :  for  he  was  comforted  concern- 
ing Amnon,  seeing  he  was  dead." 

Better  increasing  care  for  the  living,  than  unavailing  sor- 
row for  the  dead. 

"  The  cross  which  had  brought  God  nearer  had  made 
man  more  dear." — Dora  Greenwell :  "  Colloquia  Crucis." 

I  Kings  xiv.  12-18.  "Arise  thou  therefore,  get  thee  to 
thine  own  house  :  and  when  thy  feet  enter  into  the  city,  the 
child  shall  die.  And  all  Israel  shall  mourn  for  him  and 
bury  him:  for  he  only  of  Jeroboam  shall  come  to  the  grave, 
because  in  him  there  is  found  some  good  thing  toward  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel  in  the  house  of  Jeroboam.  Moreover 
the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up  a  king  over  Israel,  who  shall 
cut  off  the  house  of  Jeroboam  that  day  :  but  what  ?  even 
now.  For  the  Lord  shall  smite  Israel,  as  a  reed  is  shaken 
in  the  water,  and  he  shall  root  up  Israel  out  of  this  good 
land,  which  he  gave  to  their  fathers,  and  shall  scatter  them 
beyond  the  river,  because  they  have  made  their  groves, 
provoking  the  Lord  to  anger.  And  he  shall  give  Israel 
up  because  of  the  sins  of  Jeroboam,  who  did  sin,  and 
who  made  Israel  to  sin.  And  Jeroboam's  wife  arose,  and 
departed,  and  came  to  Tirzah  :  and  when  she  came  to  the 
threshold  of  the  door,  the  child  died  ;  and  they  buried 
him  ;  and  all  Israel  mourned  for  him,  according  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  which  he  spake  by  the  hand  of  his  ser- 
vant Ahijah  the  prophet.'' 

The  child  ren  of  wicked  parents  are.  no  doubt,  often  taken 
away  from  the  evil  to  come. 


Il8  THE  'burial  of  THE  DEAD. 

2  Sam.  xviii.  '^'>^.  "And  the  king  was  much  moved, 
and  went  up  to  the  chamber  over  the  gate,  and  wept :  and 
as  he  went,  thus  he  said,  O  my  son  Absalom  !  my  son, 
my  son  Absalom  !  would  God  I  had  died  for  thee,  O 
Absalom,  my  son,  my  son  !'"' 

"The  chamber  over  the  gate."  (Longfellow.)  So  sad  a 
death  appeals  very  strongly  to  every  heart  in  which  a 
single  fibre  of  affection  is  still  left,  to  save  a  parent 
such  overwhelming  distress. 

(Cf.  Is.  xl.  6-8  ;   Ps.  cxix.   75,  92  ;   Nu"m.  xi.   11.) 
Ruth  i.  3,  5.   "  And  Elimelech  Naomi's  husband  died; 
and    she  was   left,    and    her  two   sons.       .      .      .      And 
Mahlon  and   Chilion  died  also  both  of  them  ;  and  the 
w^oman  was  left  of  her  two  sons  and  her  husband. 

A  husband  and  two  sons. 

"  Ruth  saw  so  much,  upon  ten  years'  trial,  in  Naomi,  as 
was  worth  more  than  all  Moab." — Bp.  Hall. 

Joel  i.  8.  "  Lament  like  a  virgin  girded  with  sackcloth 
for  the  husband  of  her  youth." 

The  yoke  of  widowhood  in  3'outh. 

Ezek,  xxiv.  16,  etc.  "Son  of  man,  behold,  I  take 
away  from  thee  the  desire  of  thine  eyes  with  a  stroke  : 
yet  neither  shalt  thou  mourn  nor  weep,  neither  shall  thy 
tears  run  down." 

The  loss  of  a  wife — but  the  command  a  special  excep- 
tion to  the  ordinary  course  of  natural  grief. 

"  He  who  sees  his  wife  die,  has,  as  it  were,  been  present 
at  the  destruction  of  the  sanctuary  itself." — Talmtid. 

Gen.  xlviii.  7.  "And  as  for  me,  when  I  came  from 
Padan,  Rachel  died  by  me  in  the  land  of  Canaan  in  the 
way,  when   yet   there  was   but   a  little  way  to  come  unto 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  II9 

Ephrath  :  and  I  buried  her  there  in  the  way  of  Ephrath  ; 
the  same  is  Beth-lehem." 

A  beloved  wife.  Note  :  the  tenderness  of  Jacob  as 
to  Rachel. 

"  I  see  in  Rachel  the  image  of  her  grandmother  Sarah, 
both  in  her  beauty  of  person,  in  her  actions,  in  her  suc- 
cess."— Bp.  Hall. 

Gen.  XXV.  8-10.  "Then  Abraham  gave  up  the  ghost, 
and  died  in  a  good  old  age,  an  old  man,  and  full  of 
years  ;  and  was  gathered  to  his  people.  And  his  sons 
Isaac  and  Ishmael  buried  him  in  the  cave  of  Machpelah, 
in  the  field  of  Ephron  the  son  of  Zohar  the  Hittite, 
which  is  before  Mamre  ;  the  held  which  Abraham  pur- 
chased of  the  sons  of  Heth  :  there  was  Abraham  buried, 
and  Sarah  his  wife. 

A  good  father  in  a  good  old  age. 

''He  lived  175  years  ;  just  100  3^ears  after  he  came  to 
Canaan  ;  so  long  he  was  a  sojourner  in  a  strange  country. 
Though  he  lived  long,  and  lived  well,  and  could  be  ill- 
spared,  yet  he  died  at  last." — M.  Henry. 

Gen.  XXXV.  29.  "And  Isaac  gave  up  the  ghost,  and 
died,  and  was  gathered  unto  his  people,  being  old  and 
full  of  days  :  and  his  sons  Esau  and  Jacob  buried  him. ' ' 

Isaac  and  Ishmael  bury  Abraham  ;  Esau  and  Jacob 
bury  Isaac  ;  Joseph  and  his  brethren  bury  Jacob  ;  through 
strifes  and  dissensions  the  children  of  Israel  bring  the 
bones  of  Joseph  to  Canaan.  In  the  presence  of  Death 
the  divisions  which  existed  in  life  pass  away.  The  "val- 
ley of  the  shadow"  should  always  be  neutral  ground. 

Gen.  1.  7-14.  "And  Joseph  went  up  to  bury  his 
father  ;  and  with  him  went  up  all  the  servants  of  Pharaoh, 
the  elders  of  his  house,  and  all  the  elders  of  the  land  of 
Egypt,  and  all    the   house   of  Joseph,  and  his  brethren, 


I30  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

and  his  father's  house  :  only  their  Httle  ones,  and  their 
flocks,  and  their  herds,  they  left  in  the  land  of  Goshen. 
And  there  went  up  with  him  both  chariots  and  horsemen  : 
and  it  was  a  very  great  company.  And  they  came  to  the 
threshing-floor  of  Atad,  which  is  beyond  Jordan  ;  and 
there  they  mourned  with  a  great  and  very  sore  lamenta- 
tion :  and  he  made  a  mourning  for  his  father  seven  days. 
And  when  the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  the  Canaanites, 
saw  the  mourning  in  the  floor  of  Atad,  they  said,  This  is 
a  grievous  mourning  to  the  Egyptians  :  wherefore  the 
name  of  it  was  called  Abel-mizraim,  which  is  beyond 
Jordan.  And  his  sons  did  unto  him  according  as  he 
commanded  them  :  for  his  sons  carried  him  into  the  land 
of  Canaan,  and  buried  him  in  the  cave  of  the  field  of 
Machpelah,  which  Abraham  bought  with  the  field  for  a 
possession  of  a  burying-place  of  Ephron  the  Hittite,  be- 
fore Mamre.  And  Joseph  returned  into  Egypt,  he,  and 
his  brethren,  and  all  that  went  up  with  him  to  bury  his 
father,  after  he  had  buried  his  father. 

A  revered  father. 

"  His  funeral  ceremonies  were  magnificent  beyond  a 
parallel  in  histor}^  except  perhaps  in  the  case  of  Alexander 
the  Great." — Biish. 

Ps.  XXXV.   14.    "I   bowed   down    heavily,  as   one    that 

mourneth  for  his  mother." 

The  death  of  a  mother.  The  heavy  "  bowing  down"  that 
is  caused  by  a  mother's  death.  Heh.  "Squalid  I  bowed 
down,"  in  allusion  to  the  neglect  caused  by  grief. 

Gen.  xxiv.  67.  ''And  Isaac  brought  her  into  his 
mother  Sarah's  tent,  and  took  Rebekah,  and  she  became 
his  wife  ;  and  he  loved  her  :  and  Isaac  was  comforted 
after  his  mother's  death.'' 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  -  I3i 

The  first  death  in  a  family  can  be  illustrated  by  that  of 
Abel,  Eve  evidently  mourns  until  the  birth  of  Seth. 
Gen.  iv.  25. 

Gen.  XXXV.  8.  "  But  Deborah  Rebekah's  nurse  died, 
and  she  was  buried  beneath  Beth-el  under  an  oak  ;  and 
the  name  of  it  was  called  Allon-bachuth. " 

''  Allon-bachuth"  is  "the  oak  of  weeping" — a  tribute  to 
the  faithfulness  of  Deborah.  It  reminds  us  of  "  Bochim," 
"the  weepers"  (Judges  ii.  i,  5).  Good  servants  are  to  be 
regarded  as  secondary  children,  and  where  this  relation  is 
well  sustained,  the  loss  is  a  heavy  one  indeed. 

2  Sam.  i.  26.  "I  am  distressed  for  thee,  my  brother 
Jonathan  :  very  pleasant  hast  thou  been  unto  me  :  thy 
love  to  me  was  wonderful,  passing  the  love  of  women." 

A  friend  sometimes  is  as  dear  as  a  brother  ;  sometimes 
even  dearer.  Cf.  Prov.  xviii.  24,  and  especially  Deut. 
xiii.  6. 

"  I  hope  I  do  not  break  the  fifth  commandment,  if  I  con- 
ceive that  I  may  love  my  friend  before  the  nearest  of  my 
blood,  even  those  to  whom  I  owe  the  principles  of  life." 
— Sir  Thomas  Browne  :  "  Rel.  Medici." 

IV.   In  the  Church. 

I.    Afinis/ers. 

Acts.  vii.  60.     "And   when   he   had   said   this,  he  fell 

asleep. ' ' 

Stephen — the  first  Martyr.  Death  in  the  cause  of  Christ 
worthy  of  all  admiration. 

2  Chron.  xxiv.  16.  "  And  they  buried  him  in  the  city 
of  David  among  the  kings,  because  he  had  done  good  in 
Israel,  both  toward  God  and  toward  his  house." 

Jehoiada  the   priest — the  counsellor  of  kings  and  pre- 


122  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

server   of  the  line  of  our  Saviour's  ancestry.     A   noble 
civil  record  for  a  man  in  a  sacred  calling. 

Heb.  xi.  4.  ''  By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more 
excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain,  by  which  he  obtained  wit- 
ness that  he  was  righteous,  God  testifying  of  his  gifts  : 
and  by  it  he  being  dead  yet  speaketh." 

I.  When  God  has  "testified"  of  a  holy  man's  "gifts" 
we  should  acknowledge  it.  (Gal.  i.  24.)  2.  This  is  testi- 
mony to  the  "more  excellent  way"  which  he  chose,  3. 
By  these  "works  of  faith  and  labors  of  love"  "he  being 
dead  yet  speaketh." 

The  souls  whom  he  has  helped  to  save  ;  the  churches 
which  he  has  helped  to  rear;  the  brethi-en  whom  he  has 
counselled  ;  the  voices  oi  pen  and  pulpit — all  speak. 

1  Kings  xiii.  30.  "  And  he  laid  his  carcass  in  his  own 
grave  ;  and  they  mourned  over  him,  saying,  Alas,  my 
brother  !" 

The  lament  of  the  old  prophet  over  the  young  one. 
There  is  a  regret  whjch  speaks  at  such  a  time — a  feeling 
that  the  elder,  by  counsel  and  practice,  has  been  respon- 
sible for  the  younger.  What  course  did  this  life  take  be- 
cause of  ihe  one  who  utters  the  lamentation  ?  A'^ote  :  that 
this  scripture  contains — i.  A  warning.  2.  A  benevolence. 
3.  A  regret.      4.  A  self-reproach. 

Acts.  viii.  2.  "And  devout  men  carried  Stephen  to  his 
burial,  and  made  great  lamentation  over  him." 

The  burial  of  the  good,  b)^  those  who  have  been  their 
associates,  is  most  appropriate,  i.  They  bore  him, to  his 
grave,  2.  They  lamented  him,  It  was  a  most  repulsive 
and  repugnant  duty  ;  and  to  lament  him  required  moral 
courage  of  a  high  order. 

2  Pet.  i.  1 5.  "  Moreover  I  will  endeavor  that  ye  may  be 
able  after  my  decease  to  have  these  things  always  in  re- 
membrance. 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HTVTS.  123 

"These  things"  are:  i.  Life  through  holy  knowledge 
(v.  3).  2.  Great  and  precious /rt?;;//j-^j(v,  4).  3.  A  partici- 
pation in  the  divine  nature  {v.  4).  4.  Faith.  5.  Virtue. 
6.  Knoivledge.  7.  Temperance.  8.  Patience.  9.  Godliness. 
10.  Brotherly  Kindness.  1 1.  Charity.  12.  Fruitfnlness. 
This  is  Peter's  ladder  of  life  on  which,  round  by  round,  he 
has  himself  climbed  upward.  Note  :  that  "godliness" 
blossoms  into  the  half-bloom  of  "  brotherly  kindness,"  and 
that  into  the  full-blown  flower  of  "  charity."  Then  (and 
not  till  then)  comes  the  "  fruitfulness." 

Matt.  xiv.   12.    "And  his  disciples  came,  and  took  up 
the  body,  and  buried  it,  and  went  and  told  Jesus." 

This  was  the  headless  body  of  John  the  B.iptist.  The 
progress  of  thought  is  natural  and  simple,    i.  They  "  came." 

2.  They    "  took    up    the    body" — giving    it   funeral    rites. 

3.  They  "  buried  it" — with  honorable  interment,  mutilated 
as  it  was.  4.  They  'went  and  told  Jesus" — having  done 
their  work.  5.  Jesus  (see  next  verse)  went  apart  from  men 
"  into  a  desert  place."     Why  ? 

Like  John  the  Baptist  the  true  minister — i.  Preaches 
One  greater  than  himself  (Matt.  iii.  11  ;  Mark  i.  7).  2. 
Announces  salvation  (Matt.  iii.  11  ;  Mark  i.  4;  Luke  i. 
76-79 ;  John  i.  7  ;  Acts  i.  5  ;  xiii.  24).  3.  Refuses  allegiance 
due  to  his  Master  (Matt.  iii.  14  ;  John  i.  29).  4.  Is  bold 
to  rebuke  sin  (Luke  iii.  19).  5.  Inquires  of  Jesus  in  time 
of  doubt  (Matt.  xi.  2,  3  ;  Luke  vii.  18,  19).  6.  Is  honored 
by  his  Lord  in  life  (Malt.  xi.  ir).  7.  Is  mourned  at  his 
death  (Matt.  xiv.  12,  13). 

His  were  plain  clothing  and  plainer  fare  ;  the  constant 
labor  of  preaching  ;  perplexities  wiih  inquirers  (Luke  iii. 
10-18);  continual  self-abnegation  ;  the  hatred  of  a  promi- 
nent family;  the  imprisonment  of  harsh  circumstances; 
an  untimely  death.  But  all  these  leave  his  name  untar- 
nished. 

Acts  xiii.  36.     "  For  David,  after  he  had  served  his  own 


124  ^'^^^'  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

generation  by  the  will  of  God,   fell   on   sleep,   and   was 
laid  unto  his  fathers.'' 

We  can  serve  another  generation  only  through  our  own  ; 
we  can  serve  our  own  generation  only  by  helping  indi- 
viduals ;  we  can  help  individuals  only  by  understanding 
ourselves  ;  we  can  understand  ourselves  only  by  the  grace 
of  God  in  Christ — who  was  "  tempted  in  all  points  like  as 
we  are."  The  figure  in  the  Greek,  involved  in  the  word 
"  served,"  is  that  of  a  rower  in  an  ancient  galley. 

2  Tim.  iv.  "],  '^.  "I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have 
finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith  :  henceforth 
there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which 
the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day  : 
and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his 
appearing." 

The  victor  crowned. 

"St.  Paul  died;  they  dragged,  it  may  be,  his  corpse 
from  the  arena,  and — sprinkling  the  white  dust  over  the 
stains  of  his  feeble  blood — looked  for  a  more  interesting 
victim  than  the  aged  and  nameless  Jew;  St.  John  died  we 
know  not  where  or  how,  and  no  memorial  marks  his  for- 
gotten tomb  ;  yet,  to  this  day,  over  the  greatest  of  modern 
cities  towers  the  vast  dome  of  the  cathedral  dedicated  to 
the  name  of  Paul  ;  and  the  shapeless  mounds  which  once 
were  Ephesus  bear  witness,  in  their  name  of  Agiotzeologo, 
to  no  other  fact  than  that  they  were  trodden  by  the  weary 
feet  of  him  who  saw  the  Apocalypse,  and  whose  young 
head  had  rested  on  the  bosom  of  his  Lord," — Farrar  : 
"  Witness  of  History." 

(Q.  Deut.  xxxiv.  5-8  ;  i  Sam.  xxviii.  3  ;  2  Kings  ii.  9, 
II,  12  ;  Rom  xiv.  7-9  ;  Phil.  i.  .20,  21,  2i\  Prov.  xi. 
30  ;   Dan.  xii.  3  ;  John  xvii.  24  ;    i  Thess.  v.  9-1 1.) 


TEX'J-S,    TOPICS,  AND  niNTS.  125 

2.    Members. 

Acts.  xi.  24.    ''  For  he  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith/' 

Barnabas.  —  Blessed  is  such  a  character  in  life  and  such 
an  epitaph  in  death. 

"Ah!  well  might  the  Abbess  Christina  say  of  him 
[Tauler,  the  German  mystic]  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelt 
within  him  as  a  sweet  harping." — Hours  with  the  Mystics. 

Ps.  cxvi,   15.    "  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the 
death  of  his  saints." 

"  Precious"  :  Heb.  *'  rare,"  like  rubies  and  diamonds. 
God's  saints  are  the  jewels  of  earth — others  are  but  pebbles. 
These  he  sorts  and  gathers  for  his  treasure-house  above. 
"The}'  that  are  wise  shall  shine  "  there. 

Ps.  xxxvii.    '2^'].    "  j\Iark  the  perfect  man,   and  behold 
the  upright  :  for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace." 

A  man  of  integrity — teres  atque  rotundus,  rounded  and 
complete.  There  has  been  no  haste  and  no  waste.  Such 
souls  are  "  pillar-fires,  seen  as  we  go."     (Henry  Vaughan.) 

Job  xlii.   17.    "So  Job    died,   being    old    and    full   of 
days. " ' 

"  God's  ichor  fills  the  hearts  that  bleed  ; 
The  best  fruit  loads  the  broken  bough  ; 
And,  in  the  wounds  our  sufferings  plough, 
Immortal  love  sows  sovereign  seed." 

— Gerald  Massey. 

"Many  are  the  afflictions  of  the  righteous,  but  the  Lord 
delivereth  him  out  of  them  all."  Job's  friends  might  have 
used  this  aptly  as  their  friend's  inscription. 

"  Full  of  days" — how  expressive  !  The  cup  of  life  could 
hold  no  more. 

Gen.  xxvii.  2.    "  And  he  said,  Behold  now,  I  am  old,  I 
know  not  the  day  of  my  death. 


126  THE  BUJilAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

Isaac. — I.  Death  uncertain  even  to  the  old.  2.  Death 
to  be  prepared  for,  because  of  age. 

"  A  Christian  should  always  have  one  eye  upon  his  end, 
and  the  other  eye  upon  his  way." — Divine  Breathings. 

Prov.  xvi.  31.  "  The  hoary  head  is  a  crown  of  glory  if 
it  be  found  in  the  way  of  righteousness." 

"  All  things  ripen,  and  righteousness  also." — Tej'tullian. 

(Cf.  Ps.  Ixviii.  21.) 

Ps.  Ixxxix.  47.  "Remember  how  short  my  time  is  : 
wherefore  hast  thou  made  .all  men  in  vain  .?'" 

"  Remember,  as  to  me,  what  is  the  age  ?  For  what  vanity 
hast  thou  created  all  the  sons  of  man  ?"  So  runs  the  literal 
version.  It  is  the  tolling  of  a  funeral  bell.  For  vanity  or 
for  victory — which  ? 

Ps.  Ixxxix.  48.  "  What  man  is  he  that  liveth,  and  shall 
not  see  death  }  shall  he  deliver  his  soul  from  the  hand  of 
the  grave  .?"' 

The  question  that  needs  no  answer.  There  are  no  ex- 
ceptions. The  Enochs  and  Elijahs  walk  among  us  no 
longer. — The  remorseless  grip  of  the  grave.  The  skeleton 
hand  that  is  extended  over  our  feasts — as  at  the  banquets 
of  the  Egyptians.  How  different  is  the  hand  of  God  !  It 
is  the  hand  of  Life  I 

2  Sam.  xix.  '^().  "Thy  servant  will  go  a  little  w-ay  over 
Jordan  with  the  king." 

Barzillai,  i.e.,  "strong,  iron."  (Cf.  2  Sam.  xix.  31,  etc.; 
2  Sam.  xvii.  27  ;  i  Kings  ii.  7  ;  Ezra  ii.  61  ;  Neh.  vii.  63.) 
This  was  the  noble  ending  of  a  peaceful,  loyal,  and  loving 
life.  N'ote :  his  great  age;- his  care  of  the  exiled  king; 
his  dislike  "  to  be  a  burden  ;"  his  wish  to  be  buried  "be- 
side his  father  and  mother;"  his  readiness  to  "go  over 
Jordan"  with  the  king. 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HTVTS.  127 

Gen.  V.  24.  "And  Enoch  walked  widi  God  :  and  he 
was  not ;  for  God  took  him." 

How  did  die  antediluvians  and  tne  patriarchs  get  their 
clear  knowledge  of  a  future  life  ?  By  this  case. — He  dis- 
appeared from  earth:  God  ".took"  him.  God  promises 
Abram  that  he  will  be  his  "exceeding  great  reward"  (Gen. 
XV.  i). 

Gen.  XV.  15.  "And  thou  shalt  go  to  thy  fathers  in 
peace  ;  thou  shalt  be  buried  in  a  good  old  age."" 

A  lovely  and  pleasant  life,  like  that  of  Jabez  (i  Chron. 
iv.  10),  and  a  good  old  age  at  which  to  die,  like  Barzillai 
(2  Sam.  xix.). 

Is.  xlvi.  4.  "And  even  to  your  old  age  1  am  he  ;  and 
even  to  hoar  hairs  will  I  carry  you  :  I  have  made,  and  I 
will  bear  ;   even  I  will  carry,  and  will  deliver  you." 

Old  age  not  forsaken  of  God. 

'*  O  welcome  service  and  ever  to  be  desired,  in  which  we 
are  rewarded  with  the  Greatest  Good,  and  attain  to  joy 
which  shall  endlessly  remain  with  us." — Thomas  a  Kempis. 

Is.  xxxiii.  17.  "Thine  eyes  shall  see  the  King  in  his 
beauty  ;  they  shall  behold  the  land  that  is  very  far  off." 

Death  anticipated.  The  shepherds  on  the  hill  called 
"  Clear"  in  "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  who  showed  Christian 
the  city  through  their  "  perspective  glass." — r.  The  King  : 
"  in  his  beauty."     2.   The  Land  ;    "  that  is  very  far  off." 

Prov.  xiv.  32.  "The  wicked  is  driven  away  in  his 
wickedness  :  but  the  righteous  hath  hope  in  his  death." 

The  Christian  alone  has  a  definite  knowledge  of  the 
"words  of  eternal  life"  (John  vi.  68).  We  are  saved  by 
hope,  and  death  to  the  Christian  is  the  dark  gate  of 
glory. 

"Wherfor  whensoever  it  chaunseth  the   my  frende,  to 


128  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

haue  the  tastynge  of  th)  s  death,  that  thou  shalte  be  temted 
vvyth  thys  horror  of  deathe  what  is  to  be  done  then  ?  when- 
soever thou  feiest  th)^  soule  heauy  to  death,  make  haste, 
and  resorie  to  this  gardaine  (cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  36),  and  with 
thys  faith  ihou  shalt  ouercome  thys  terrour  vvhen  it  com- 
meth." — Bp.  Hugh  Latimer. 

Is.  xxxii,  17.  "And  the  work  of  righteousness  shall 
be  peace  ;  and  the  effect  of  righteousness,  quietness  and 
assurance  forever. 

"  I  should  have  thought  mowers  very  idle  people  ;  but 
they  work  while  they  whet  their  scythes.  Now  devotedness 
to  God,  whether  it  mows  or  whets  the  scythe,  still  goes  on 
with  the  work." — y.  N'eivton,  in  Cecil's  "  Life.'" 

David  says,  "  My  heart  is  fixed,  trusting  in  the  Lord." 
For  the  idea  of  "  sanctuary"  cf.  Ps.  xc.  i  ;  xci.  9  ;  Is. 
ix.  14;  Hos.  xiv.  5-7;  Deut.  xxxiii. ;  Ruth  ii.  12;  Deut. 
xxxii.  ir.  It  is  most  frequent  in  the  Psalms.  See  xvii. 
8,  Ivii.  I,  Ixi.  4,  xlvi.  i,  xxvii.  5,  xxxi.  20,  Ixiii.  7,  Ixii.  7, 
etc. 

Is.  Ivii.  I,  2.  "The  righteous  perisheth,  and  no  man 
layeth  it  to  heart  :  and  merciful  men  are  taken  away, 
none  considering  that  the  righteous  is  taken  away  from 
the  evil  to  come.      He  shall  enter  into  peace." 

The  death  of  good  men  is  not  only  a  heavy  loss  to  a 
community,  but  often  a  most  significant  warning,  i.  The 
indifference  of  the  world.  2.  The  possible  threatening 
evil,  which  is  avoided  by  the  righteous,  and  experienced 
by  the  wicked.  3.  The  quiet  port,  to  which  the  righteous 
escapes  from  the  storm,     j;;^"  Ps.  cxxvii.  2. 

Luke  ii.  29,  30.  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thy  servant  depart 
in  peace,  according  to  thy  word  :  for  mine  eyes  have 
seen  thy  salvation. 

Truly  "  the  desire  accomplished  is  sweet  to  the  soul,"  and 
when  it  cometh  it  is  "  a  tree  of  life  "  (Prov.  xiii.  12,  19).  This 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  129 

j's  old  Simeon,  who  has  taken  the  child  Jesus  into  his 
arms.  -  So  when  a  good  person  has  received  liie  simplicity 
of  religious  truth,  he  is  alwaj^s  ready  10  sing  his  "  mine 
ditniltis."     He  is  always  prepared  to  go. 

Acts  ix.  36,  ■^'j,  "Now  there  was  at  Joppa  a  certain 
disciple  named  Tabith'a,  which  by  interpretation  is  called 
Dorcas  :  this  woman  was  full  of  good  works  and  alms- 
deeds  which  she  did.  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those 
days,  that  she  was  sick,  and  died." 

Death  in  the  midst  of  usefulness.  A  good  woman, 
renowned  for  benevolence.  Both  Tabitha  and  Dorcas 
mean  "a  roe-deer,"  a  "gazelle."  The  gracefulness  of 
goodness.  It  is  a  word  frequently  employed.  Cf.  Sol.  Song 
ii.  7-9.  N^oig  :  i.  Dorcas  was  a  great  help  in  the  church. 
2.  Slie  added  "alms-deeds"  to  "good  works,"  mercy  to 
truth.  3.  She  was  greatl}' missed  and  lamented.  4.  Such 
an  one  should  have  her  resurrection,  in  the  lives  and  work 
of  others. — And  Peter  was  sent  for  to  attend  the  funeral, 
V.  38. 

Amos  viii.  9.  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day, 
saith  the  Lord  God,  that  I  will  cause  the  sun  to  go  down 
at  noon,  and  I  will  darken  the  earth  in  the  clear  day." 

In  the  midst  of  life. 

"  Unhappy  if  we  are  but  Half-men,  in  whom  that  divine 
handwriting  has  never  blazed  forth,  all-subduing,  in  true 
sun-splendour  ;  but  quivers  dubiously  among  meaner 
lights  :  or  smoulders  in  dull  pain,  in  darkness,  under 
earthly  vapours  ^y—Carlyle  :  "  Sartor  Resartus." 

Num.  xxiii.  10.  "Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  right- 
eous, and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his  !" 

Balaam  to  Balak,  after  blessing  Israel.  The  death-bed 
of  the  good  is  envied  by — i.  The  impenitent  ;  2.  The  con- 
science-stricken ;  3.  The  moralist ;  4.  The  honest  inquirer 


130  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

after  truth. — Balaam's  character  ;  these  words  wrung  out 
of  him  ;  a  confession  in  spite  of  his  hostilit}'.  Especially 
see  and  note  his  false  position  as  an  advocate  of  a  b^ 
cause,  which  he  is  convinced  must  fail.  Note  :  that  if 
we  would  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  we  must  live  his 
life. 

J.    General. 

Ps.  Iv.  2  2.  "  Cast  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord,  and  he 
shall  sustain  thee  :  he  shall  never  suffer  the  righteous  to 
be  moved." 

Christ's  language,  "  Come  unto  me,  ye  that  labor  and 
are  heavy  laden."  When  additional  weight  is  put  into  a 
building  it  needs  additional  supports.  Truths  like  this 
are  columnar.  They  are  promises  upon  which  we  may 
rely  freely  and  often.  Not  be  moved  :  any  more  than  a 
tree  with  deep  and  wide  roots.  Each  particular  burden 
may  thus  be  "rolled"  on  the  Lord.  Cf.  Ps.  xxxvii.  5  ; 
Prov.  xvi.  3  ;  and  Ps.  xxii.  8  (margin,  "  rolled  himself). 

Ps.  xlviii.  14.  "  For  this  God  is  our  God  forever  and 
ever  :  he  will  be  our  guide  even  unto  death." 

The  journey  ended  and  the  guide  dismissed.  We  no 
longer  need  explanations  and  assistance.  Henceforth 
and  forever  he  is  not  our  guide,  but  our  God.  Not  any 
longer  our  sun  and  shield,  but  our  "exceeding  great 
reward." 

Gen.  xxiii.  4.    "  That  I  may  bury  my  dead  out  of  my 

sight." 

Our  comfort  is  in  laying  them  away  to  rest.  Keeping 
the  spiritual  and  abandoning  the  perishable. 

"  Burying-places  were,  as  a  rule,  outside  the  cities — 
commonly  at  no  less  a  distance  than  fifty  cubits.  In  Jeru- 
salem no  dead  body  was  allowed  to  remain  over  night. 
The  favorite  localities  for  burying  were  rocky   places   and 


TEXTS,   TOPICS,  A  AW  HINTS.  131 

caves.  Sepulchres  were  also  prepared  in  gardens.  Two 
bodies  were  not  laid  in  the  same  niche,  except  those  of  a 
daughter  with  her  father,  or  of  a  son  with  his  mother. 
.  After  the  final  scattering  of  Israel,  the  desire  to  be 
buried  in  the  soil  of  Palestine  became  so  intense  that  it 
used  to  be  said,  '  He  that  rests  in  Palestine  is  as  if  he  were 
buried  under  the  altar.'  " — Dr.  Edershewi,  in  '■"Bible  Edu- 
cator. " 

Gen.  V.    "And  he  died." 

The  knell  that  sounds  throughout  these  chapters,  in 
spite  of  the  centuries  of  each  antediluvian  life. 

At  Saladin's  banquet  to  Richard  Coeur  de  Lion  was  dis- 
played a  lance,  bearing  a  shroud,  with  this  inscription^ 
"  Saladin,  King  of  Kings— Saladin,  Victor  of  Victors — 
Saladin  must  Die." 

2  Tim.  i.   10.    "Our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,    who  hath 
abolished  death." 

"Abolished":  Gr.  "made  thoroughl}^  inactive."  He 
has  taken  away  the  sting.  The  New  Testament  uses 
ikauatos  {■&dvaToi)  for  "  death"  except  in  Matt.  ii.  15,  and 
nearly  always  with  an  implied  idea  of  penalty.  Loj-d 
Bacon:  "Men  fear  death  as  children  fear  the  dark." 
Christ  comes  to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil,  of  which 
Death  is  the  chief.  Creniers  Lexicon :  "Death  is  .  .  , 
a  comprehensive  term  denoting  all  the  piiniitive  conse- 
quences of  sin."     {Sub  voce  -Qdvaroi.) 

Gen.  XXV.   17.    "  And  was  [gathered  unto  his  people. " 

His  people  !  Abiit  ad  mojores — over  to  the  majority  on 
the  other  side,  his  ancestors,  his  own  true  kinsfolk. 
Where  shall  we  find  "our  people"  except  in  the  King's 
country  ? 

V.      In  the  State. 
I.   A  Ruler. 

Is.  iii.   I,  2,  3.    "For,  behold,  the  Lord,  the  Lord  of 


132  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

hosts,   doth  take  away  from  Jerusalem  and  from  Judah 

the  stay  and  the  staff,  the  whole  stay  of  bread,  and  the 

whole  stay  of  water,    the  mighty   man,  and  the  man  of 

war,  ihe  judge,  and  the  prophet,   and  the  prudent,   and 

the    ancient,    the    captain    of    fifty,    and    the    honorable 

man,  and  the  counsellor,  and  the  cunning  artificer,  and 

the  eloquent  orator. ' ' 

[Circumstances  must  govern,  of  course,  in  the  particu- 
lar application  of  these  texts.] 

2  Sam.  iii.  t,'^.  "  Know  ye  not  that  there  is  a  prince 
and  a  great  man  fallen  this  day  in  Israel  V 

Generous  recognition  at  death  of  virtues  possessed  In 
life.  [See  the  admirable  series  of  funeral  orations  and 
eulogies  pronounced  in  Washington,  D.  C,  on  such  occa- 
sioris.] 

Job  xxiv.  2  2.  "  He  draweth  also  the  mighty  with  his 
power  :  he  riseth  up,  and  no  man  is  sure  of  life. 

Job  xxiv.  24.  "  They  are  exalted  for  a  little  while,  but 
are  gone  and  brought  low  ;  they  are  taken  out  of  the 
way  as  all  other,  and  cut  off  as  the  tops  of  the  ears  of 
corn. 

2  Chron.  xxxii.  '^'7,.  ''And  Hezekiah  slept  with  his 
fathers,  and  they  buried  him  in  the  chiefest  of  the  sepul- 
chres of  the  sons  of  David  :  and  all  Judah  and  the  in- 
habitants of  Jerusalem  did  him  honor  at  his  death." 

He  was  :  i.  A  reformer.  2.  A  man  of  public  spirit.  3. 
A  person  of  great  heartiness  (2  Chron.  xxxi.  21).  4.  A 
successful  man.  All  this  aside  from  his  piety.  It  is  right 
to  honor  good  or  great  men  at  their  death.  We  honor 
virtue  itself  when  we  honor  its  illustrations. 

2.   A  public  man. 

2  Chron.  xxxv.  24,  25.    "And  all  Judah  and  Jerusa- 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  133 

lem  mourned  for  Josiah.  And  Jeremiah  lamented  lor 
Josiah  ;  and  all  the  singing  men  and  the  singing  women 
spake  of  Josiah  in  their  lamentations  to  this  day,  and 
made  them  an  ordinance  in  Israel  :  and,  behold,  they 
are  written  in  the  lamentations." 

2  Sam.  iii.  ■j^i^  34.  "And  the  king  lamented  over  Ab- 
ner,  and  said,  Died  Abner  as  a  fool  dieth  .?  Thy  hands 
were  not  bound,  nor  thy  feet  put  into  fetters  :  as  a 
man  falleth  before  wicked  men,  so  fellest  thou.  And  all 
the  people  wept  again  over  him. 

Ps.  Ixxxii.  6,  7.  "I  have  said,  Ye  are  gods  ;  but  ye 
shall  die  like  men,  and  fall  like  one  of  the  princes.'' 

Ezek.  xix.  11,  12.  "And  she  had  strong  rods  for  the 
sceptres  of  them  that  bare  rule,  and  her  stature  was  ex- 
alted among  the  thick  branches,  and  she  appeared  in  her 
height  with  the  multitude  of  her  branches.  But  she  was 
plucked  up  in  fury,  she  was  cast  down  to  the  ground,  and 
the  east  wind  dried  up  her  fruit  :  her  strong  rods  were 
broken  and  withered  ;  the  fire  consumed  them." 
The  death  of  good  rulers  is  a  great  affliction. 

Jer.  xli.  2.  "  Then  arose  Ishmael  the  son  of  Nethaniah, 
and  the  ten  men  that  were  with  him,  and  smote  Gedaliah 
the  son  of  Ahikam  the  son  of  Shaphan  with  the  sword, 
and  slew  him,  whom  the  king  of  Babylon  had  made  gov- 
ernor over  the  land. 

Death  by  assassination.     Cf.  Eglon,  Judges  iii.  20. 

Is.  xl.  23.  "  That  bringeth  the  princes  to  nothing  ;  he 
maketh  the  judges  of  the  earth  as  vanity." 

VI.  Miscellaneous  Topics  and  Hints. 

Ps.  xxxvi.  9.  "  For  with  thee  is  the  fountain  of  life  :  in 
thy  light  shall  we  see  light. 


134  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

God,  the  author  of  life  and  the  fountain  of  life.  Not 
light  be3^ond  only,  but  light  here.  In  His  light  :  not  in 
philosophy,  nor  in  occupation,  nor  in  amusement,  nor  in 
unavailing  regret,  nor  in  fancies  that  we  have  communica- 
tion with  the  departed,  but  in  the  true  consolations  of  re- 
ligion.    "  And  the  Life  was  the  Light  of  men"  (John  i.  4). 

Ps.  xlvi.  I,  "God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very 
present  help  in  trouble." 

"A  help  to  be  greatlj'  found  in  distresses"  is  the  literal 
version.  A  centre  in  which  to  come  to  rest,  as  from  cen- 
trifugal force  ;  a  centre  from  which  to  begin  anew,  as  from 
centripetal  force.  The  tendency  in  grief  is  to  expend  it- 
self in  action,  or  to  shut  itself  away  in  contemplation. 
This  avoids  both  extremes. 

Ps.  xlix.  4.  "I  will  incline  mine  ear  to  a  parable  :  I 
will  open  my  dark  saying  upon  the  harp." 

The  story  of  death  is  indeed  a  "  dark  saying."  Let  us 
treat  it — i.  By  way  of  parable:  in  showing  its  resem- 
blances and  analogies  of  instruction.  2.  By  way  of  har- 
mony :   in  reducing  its  disorder  to  melody,  if  we  can. 

Ps.  xxxix.  4.  "Lord,  make  me  to  know  mine  end, 
and  the  measure  of  my  days,  what  it  is  ;  that  I  may  know 
liow  frail  I  am." 

Ps  liter:  "That  I  maybe  certified  .how  long  1  have  to 
live."  MaTginal  reading :  "What  time  I  have  here." 
Sepiuagint :  "That  I  may  know  what  comes  afterward," 
M.  Henry :  "  Lord,  give  me  wisdom  and  grace  to  con- 
sider it  (Deut.  xxxii,  29),  and  to  improve  what  I  know 
concerning  it. "  Jam.  Fauss.  and  Brown  :  "Lit.  'when  I 
shall  cease.' "  A.Bonar :  "A  pilgrim  spirit,  one  journeying 
through  a  world  of  vanity  and  praying  at  every  step  to  be 
taught  and  kept  in  the  will  of  God."  Hebrew  .\  "I  will 
know  how  leaving  off  I  am."  The  text  suggests  :  i.  The 
shortness  of  life.     2.   The   importance  of  right  opinions. 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  135 

3.   The  help   into  trust  upon  God,  which  comes  from  the 
consideration  of  our  own  weakness  and  inevitable  fate. 

Matt.  ii.  15.  "And  was  there  until  the  death  of 
Herod." 

The  word  here  for  death  is  "  end."  It  was  the  close  of 
Herod's  hopes  and  power.  There  v/as  nothing  afterward. 
His  life  was  simply  an  obstruction. 

Ps.  Iv.  19.  "Because  they  have  no  changes,  therefore 
they  fear  not  God."' 

It  is  an  unfortunate  matter  to  have  an  easy  and  prosper- 
ous and  sheltered  life,  in  such  a  view  as  this.  The  soul 
requires  to  be  shaken  out  of  its  security.  A^ote :  the 
blessings  of  the  unconverted  are  often  a  final  source  of 
doubt  and  of  regret.  How  much  have  the}'  understood 
them  ?  and  valued   them  ? 

Ps.  cvii.  43.  "Whoso  is  wise,  and  will  observe  these 
things,  even  they  sliall  understand  the  loving-kindness  of 
the  Lord." 

Notice  the  construction  of  the  Psalm.  The  chorus  is  : 
"O  that  men  would  praise  the  Lord,"  etc.  The  anti- 
chorus  is  :  "  Then  they  cried  unto  the  Lord,"  etc,  i.  The 
"  redeemed  of  the  Lord"  are  here  instructed.  2.  So  are 
*' fools,"  i.e.  the  thoughtless  and  ignorant  and  foolish.  3. 
So  are  "  they  that  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships."  4.  So  are 
the  tillers  of  the  land.  The  text  is  the  sum  of  all  these 
things,  a  message  to  Christians,  to  the  impenitent,  and  to 
the  toilers  by  sea  and  by  land. 

Ps.  Ixxiii.  3,  4.  "For  I  was  envious  at  the  foolish, 
when  I  saw  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked.  For  there  are 
no  bands  in  their  death  :   but  their  strength  is  firm." 

"Then  understood  I  their  end";  ''How  are  ihey  brought 
into  desolation  as  in  a  moment"  ;  "  They  are  utterly  con- 
sumed with  terrors."  To  be  used,  not  by  way  of  sever- 
ity, but  by  contrast  with  the  Christian.    "  Bands,"  i.e.  pains 


136  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

— the  idea  being  that  the  wicked  often  have  an  easier  phys- 
ical death  than  the  righteous.  We  should  covet,  not  the 
temporar}',  but  the  eternal  riches. 

Mark  ix.  10.  "And  they  kept  that  saying  with  them- 
selves, questioning  one  with  another  what  the  rising  from 
the  dead  should  mean." 

This  was  after  the  Transfiguration,  i.  The  "  sa5ang"  was 
that  the  Son  of  Man  should  rise  from  the  dead.  2.  Moses 
(whom  God  buried,  Deut.  xxxiv.  6  ;  Jude  9)  and  Elijah 
iwhom  God  translated,  2  Kings  ii.  11)  appear  and  talk  with 
Jesus,  coming  there  from  heaven,  as  did  the  voice  (2  Pet. 
i.  16-18). 

VII.   Peculiar  and  Special  Cases. 

I.  Suicide. 

Job  X.   I.    "  My  soul  is  weary  of  my  life." 

Contrast  this  with  Paul  :  ^'Who  shall  deliver  me  from 
the  body  of  this  death  ?"  and  Christ :  "  My  soul  is  exceed- 
ing sorrowful  even  unto  death."  To  learn  to  say  "Thy 
will  be  done"  puts  the  possibility  of  suicide  entirely  aw.ay. 

Cf.  Ecc.  ii.   17  ;   iv.   2,  3. 

Job  iii.  20-22.  "  Wherefore  is  hght  given  to  him  that 
is  in  misery,  and  life  unto  the  bitter  in  soul  ;  which  long 
for  death,  but  it  cometh  not ;  and  dig  for  it  more  than  for 
hid  treasures  ;  which  rejoice  exceedingly,  and  are  glad, 
when  they  can  find  the  grave  .'*" 

This  is  the  old  problem  of  existence.  To  cut  the  Gor- 
dian  knot  is  not  to  untie  it.  The  sentinel  must  remain  at 
his  post  until  relieved. 

"  In  every  man's  life  come  awful  moments  when  he  must 
meet  his  fate — '  dree  his  weird  ' — alone.  Alone,  I  say, 
if  he  have   no  God — for  man  or  woman   cannot  aid  him, 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  137 

cannot  touch  him,  cannot  come  near  him." — George  Mac- 
Donald. 
Num.  xi.   15.    "And  if  thou  deal  thus  with  me,  kill  me, 
I  pray  thee,   out  of  hand,  if  I  have  found  favor  in  thy 
sight ;  and  let  me  not  see  my  wretchedness.  ' 

And  this  was  Moses  ! 

"What  a  battle-giound  is  the  soul  of  man!  We  are 
given  up  to  those  gods,  those  monsters,  those  giants — our 
thoughts.  Often  these  terrible  belligerents  trample  our 
very  souls  down  in  their  mad  conflict."  —  V^ic tor  Hugo. 

Job  vii.  15,  16.  "  So  that  my  soul  chooseth  strangling, 
and  death  rather  than  my  life.  I  loathe  it  ;  I  would  not 
live  alway  :  let  me  alone  ;  for  my  days  are  vanity." 

Death  desired,  through  utter  weariness.  Cf.  Rev.  ix.  6  ; 
Jonah  iv.  3,  8. 

Jer.  XX.  18.  "Wherefore  came  I  forth  out  of  the  womb 
to  see  labor  and  sorrow,  that  my  days  should  be  consumed 
with  shame  T' 

There  will  be  present  at  the  funeral  of  a  suicide — i.  The 
"  shamed"  ones.  2.  The  curious  ones.  3.  The  scoffers 
and  skeptics,  4.  The  perplexed  Christians.  Tlieir  ques- 
tions will  be  the  same  thought  put  in  different  shapes,  and 
this  text  will  serve  as  a  focus  into  which  to  collect  them. 

(Cf.  Ahithophel,  2  Sam.  xvii.  23  ;  Judas,  Matt,  xxvii.  5  ; 
Saul,  I  Sam.  xxxi.  and  i  Chron.  x. ;  Hainan,  Esth.  vii.  10  ; 
Samson,  Judges  xvi.  29,  30.) 

2.    A  fallen  woman. 

2  Kings  ix.  34.  "  Bury  her  :  for  she  is  a  king's  daugh- 
ter. 

I.  We  are  not  to  refuse  to  perform  such  a  funeral  service. 

2.  We  are  to  remember  that  she  was  "  a  king's  daughter." 

3.  For  the  sake  of  what  she  was  we  must  "  take   up  ten- 
derly" what  she  is. 


13S  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

This  is  the  key  note  of  Hood's  "  Bridge  of  Sighs." 
1^"  To  talce  texts  or  themes  for  such  occasions  after  the 

fashion  of  the   old   divines  (see  Mather's  'Magnalia")  is 

neither  wise  nor  right. 

Is.  xlvii.  7,  8.  "And  thou  saidst,  I  shall  be  a  lady  for- 
ever :  so  that  thou  didst  not  lay  these  things  to  thy  heart, 
neither  didst  remember  the  latter  end  of  it.  Therefore 
hear  now  this,  thou  that  art  given  to  pleasures,  that  dwellest 
carelessly,  that  sayest  in  thine  heart,  I  am,  and  none  else 
besides  me  ;  I  shall  not  sit  as  a  widow,  neither  shall  I 
know  the  loss  of  children. 

The  "social  evil"  involves  the  serious  fact  that  many 
are  elevated  by  it  from  poverty  and  loneliness,  into  a 
transient  wealth  and  to  the  centre  of  admiration.  They 
say,  (i)  "  We  shall  be  ladies  always."  They  forget  (2)  the 
"latter  end"  of  it  all.  They  sometimes  (3)  refuse  wifehood 
and  motherhood.  But  (4)  there  is  an  end  to  it  all.  (5) 
That  end  comes  very  soon,  ordinarily  within  three  or  five 
years. 

John  viii.  7.  ''So  when  they  continued  asking  him,  he 
lifted  up  himself,  and  said  unto  them,  He  that  is  without 
sin  among  you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at  her." 

"Johnvii.  53  to  viii.  11  is  the  second  and  most  extended 
omission  [in  the  Revised  New  Testament]  from  John's 
Gospel.  It  is  omitted  by  the  Sinaitic,  the  Alexandrine, 
the  Vatican,  the  older  Parisian,  and  four  later  uncials, 
and  by  cursive  33;  but  in  the  Alexandrine  and  older 
Parisian  and  two  of  the  later  uncials — that  is,  in  liaif  of  the 
uncials  wliich  omit  the  passage — there  is  a  blank  space,  in- 
dicating that  something  is  omitted  ;  the  text  being  erased 
or  its  copying  deferred.  It  is  found  in  the  Cambridge,  D, 
and  other  uncials,  in  the  cursives  gcnerall)%  in  the  Lat. 
Vulgate,  as  it  is  in  the  '  Koine  Ekdosis  '  of  the  Greek 
Church  ;  while  Greek   and    Latin   fathers,  cited   by  Poole 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  139 

and  Tregelles,  refer  to  the  omitted  narrative  as  found  in 
John's  Gospel.  It  is  omitted  as  spurious  by  Tregelles  ; 
and  it  is  put  in  brackets  by  the  English  revisers." — Dr.  G. 
IV.   Samson  :  '"  Revisers'  Text  Unauthorized." 

Shall  the  servant  of  Christ  avoid  the  responsibility  of  a 
sermon  to  men  on  such  an  occasion  ? 

John  viii.  11.  "  And  Jesus  said  unto  her,  Neither  do  I 
condemn  thee  :  go,  and  sin  no  more." 

This,  for  one  who  has  died  repentant.  Compare  Jos. 
vi.  17  (with  Heb.  xi.  31  and  Jas.  ii.  25) ;  Matt.  xxi.  31,  32  ; 
Luke  vii.  37. 

J.   Cases  of  long  sickness,  pain,  and  iveariness. 

Job  iii.  22.  "  Which  rejoice  exceedingly,  and  are  glad, 
when  they  can  find  the  grave. 

Death  long  desired  and  welcome.  "I  go  out  of  life," 
said  Cicero,  "  as  from  an  inn  and  not  from  a  home." 

Job  iii.   17.    "  There  the  wicked  cease  from  troubhng  ; 

and  there  the  weary  be  at  rest." 

Rest:  I.  From  the  perplexities  and  trials  of  life.  2. 
From  its  burden  and  its  toil.  3.  From  its  longing  and 
its  fatigue. 

Is.  xxxiii.  24.  ''And  the  inhabitant  shall  not  say,  I  am 
sick  :  the  people  that  dwell  therein  shall  be  forgiven  their 
iniquity." 

What  aland  !  No  sickness  ;  no  sorrow  ;  no  sin.  The 
"inhabitant"  :  Heb.  "  neighbour."  The  neighbourliness  of 
the  other  world. 

4.   Death  by  casualties. 

2  Sam.  ii.  23.  "  Howbeit  he  refused  to  turn  aside  : 
wherefore  Abner  with  the  hinder  end  of  the  spear  smote 
him  under  the  fifth  rib,  that  the  spear  came  out  behind 
him  ;  and  he  fell  down  there,  and  died  in  the  same  place  : 


MO  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

and  it  came  to  pass,  that  as  many  as  came  to  the  place 
where  Asahel  fell  down  and  died  stood  still." 

Tlie  unexpected  "  hinder  end"  of  the  spear  smote  Asahel. 
Cf.  2  Kings  ix.  24. 

Also  I  Kings  xxii.  34  (with  2  Chron.  xviii.  33),  the 
bow  "  drawn  at  a  venture." 

Judges  ix.  53.  "  And  a  certain  woman  cast  a  piece  of 
a  millstone  upon  Abimelechs  liead,  and  all  to  brake  his 
skull." 

"  All  to"  is  an  abbreviated  form  of  "altogether." 

Lev.  X.  5.      ''So  they  went  near,  and  carried   them  in 

their  coats  out  of  the  camp  ;  as  Moses  had  said." 

These  were  Nadab  and  Abihu,  the  sons  of  Aaron.  They 
were  burned  to  ashes  and  gathered  up  from  the  flame. 

Luke  xiii.  4.  "Or  those  eighteen,  upon  whom  the 
tower  of  Siloam  fell,  and  slew  them,  think  ye  that  they 
were  sinners  above  all  men  that  dwelt  in  Jerusalem } 

(Cf.   I  Kings  XX,  30  ;  Job  i.   19.) 

Men  cannot  be  too  careful  how  they  undertake  to  inter- 
pret "judgments,"  lest  one  day  they  be  measured  out  of 
their  own  bushel  and  fall  short. 

2  Sam.  XX.  12,  13.  "And  Amasa  wallowed  in  blood 
in  the  midst  of  the  highway.  And  when  the  man  saw 
that  all  the  people  stood  still,  he  removed  Amasa  out  of 
the  highway  into  the  field,  and  cast  a  cloth  upon  him, 
when  he  saw  that  every  one  that  came  by  him  stqod  still. 
When  he  was  removed  out  of  the  highway,  all  the  people 
went  on  after  Joab,  to  pursue  after  Sheba  the  son  of 
Bichri." 

"  So  strong  in  human  hearts  the  thought  of  death,"  and 
therefore  the  wisdom  of  connecting  with  every  death  some 
gospel  truth. 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AXD  NIXl'S.  141 

5.    Sudden  Death. 

I  Sam.  XX.  3.  "And  David  sware  moreover,  and  said, 
Tliy  father  ceitainly  knoweth  that  I  have  found  grace  in 
thine  eyes  ;  and  he  saith,  Let  not  Jonathan  know  this, 
lest  he  be  grieved  :  but  truly,  as  the  Lord  Hveth,  and  as 
thy  soul  liveth,  there  is  but  a  step  between  me  and  death. ' ' 

Nearness  of  death. 

"  We  term  sleep  a  death,  and  yet  it  is  waking  that  kills 
us  and  destroys  those  spirits  that  are  the  house  of  life." — 
Sir  Thomas  Brozvne. 

1  Sam.  iv.  15,  18.  "Now  Eli  was  ninety  and  eight 
years  old  ;  and  his  eyes  were  dim,  that  he  could  not  see. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  made  mention  of 
the  ark  of  God,  that  he  fell  from  off  the  seat  backward  by 
the  side  of  the  gate,  and  his  neck  brake,  and  he  died  :  for 
he  was  an  old  man,  and  heavy." 

Death  from  a  broken  heart. 

"  The  good  old  man,  after  ninety  and  eight  years,  sits  in 
the  gate,  as  one  that  never  thought  himself  too  aged  to  do 
God's  service.  .  .  .  No  sword  of  a  Philistine  could 
have  slain  him  more  painfully,  neither  know  I  whether  his 
neck  or  his  heart  were  first  broken." — Bp.  Hall. 

Prov.  xxvii.  i.  "Boast  not  thyself  of  to-morrow  ;  for 
thou  knowest  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth." 

"  O  that  we  had  spent  but  one  day  in  this  world  thorough- 
ly well  !" — Thomas  a  Kempis. 

(Cf.  Jas.  iv.  13,  14  ;  Ecc.  ix.  10,  12  ;  Ps.  xxxix.  4  and 
xc.  12  ;   Heb.  ii.   15.) 

2  Cor.  V.  10.  "We  must  all  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things 
done  in  his  body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether 
it  be  good  or  bad." 


142  7' HE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

Death  a  summons  to  judgment. 

"  If  /  am  not  for  me,  who  shall? — If  I  am  only  for  me, 
what  am  I? — And  if  not  now,  when?'' — Attributed  to 
R.  Hillel. 

Ecc.  xii.  13,  14.  "  Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the 
whole  matter  :  Fear  God,  and  keep  his  commandments  : 
for  this  is  the  whole  duty  of  man.  For  God  shall  bring 
every  work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing, 
whether  it  be  good,,  or  whether  it  be  evil." 

"The  expression  in  the  original — 'This  is  the  whole  of 
man,' — has  not,  that  I  am  aware  of,  any  parallels  by  which 
it  might  be  illustrated.  The  supplement  of  the  word  duty 
destroys  its  evidently  designed  comprehensiveness.  It  is 
not  only  the  whole  duty,  but  the  whole  honor,  and  interest, 
and  happiness  of  man." — Wardlazu. 

6 .   For'  /hose  ivho  have  been  much  afflicted. 

Ps.  Ixxi.  20.  "Thou  which  hast  showed  me  great  and 
sore  troubles,  shalt  quicken  me  again  and  shalt  bring  me 
up  again  from  the  depths  of  the  earth." 

Rev.  vii.  14.  "  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great 
tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes  and  made  them 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb." 

Matt.  xi.  6.  "Blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  not  be 
offended  in  me. 

y.    Death  in  child-bed.  * 

Rachel.    Gen.  xxxv.   16.    Phinehas  wife,    i  Sam.  iv.   19. 

c?.  A  sailo?''  s  death. 

Ps.  Iv,  8.  "I  would  hasten  my  escape  from  the  windy 
storm  and  tempest. 

Ps.  cvii.  29,  30.     "He   maketh   the   storm  a  calm,  so 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  T43 

that  the  waves  thereof  are  still.  Then  are  they  glad 
because  they  be  quiet  ;  so  he-  bringeth  them  unto  their 
desired  haven.' " 

Rev,  XX.  13.  "  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which 
were  in  it." 

^.   A  rich  man. 

Ps.  xlix.  6,  7.  "They  that  trust  in  their  wealth,  and 
boast  themselves  in  the  multitude  of  their  riches  ;  none 
of  them  can  by  any  means  redeem  his  brother,  nor  give 
to  God  a  ransom  for  him." 

Job  xxix.  18.  "  I'hen  I  said,  I  shall  die  in  my  nest, 
and  I  shall  multiply  my  days  as  the  sand." 

Luke  xii.  20.  "  But  God  said  unto  him.  Thou  fool, 
this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee  :  then  whose 
shall  those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided  T ' 

"Man,"  says  the  Talmud,  "is  born  with  his  hands 
clenched,  he  dies  with  his  hands  wide  open.  Entering 
life,  he  desires  to  grasp  everything;  leaving  the  world,  all 
that  he  possessed  has  slipped  away." 

10.  A  poor  man. 

Luke  xvi.  22.  "And  it  came  to  pass,  that  the  beggar 
died,  and  was  carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's 
bosom." 

11.  A  repenia7it  criminal, 

Luke  xxiii.  43.  "And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Verily  1 
say  unto  thee,  To-day  slialt  thou  be  with  me  in  para- 
dise. "  - 

12.  A  careless  person. 

Job  xiv.  10.  "  But  man  dieth  and  wasteth  away  :  yea, 
man  giveth  up  the  ghost,  and  where  is  he  .?" 


144  'i'm^  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD.  ■ 

I  J.   A  witty  man. 

Ecc.  vii.  3.    "Sorrow  is  better  than  laughter;  for  by 
the    sadness   of     the   countenance    the    heart   is   made 
better." 
14.  A  fearsojJie  death. 

Job  iv.  15.      "Then   a  spirit  passed   before   my  face; 
the  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up." 
I^.  A  ' '  sporting  ?/iau. 

Job  ix.  25.     "  ^ly  days  are  swifter  than  a  post." 

Rev.  vi.  8.  "  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  pale  horse  : 
and  his  name  that  sat  on  him  was  Death. 

Prov.  xvi.  ^^.    "The  lot  is  cast  into  the  lap,  but  the 
whole  disposing  thereof  is  of  the  Lord."" 
16.   For  a  time  of  pestilence. 

Lam.  ii.  21.      "The  young  and   the    old    lie    on  the 
ground   in   the  streets  :  my  virgins  and   my  young  men 
are  fallen  by  the  sword  ;  thou  hast  slain  them  in  the  day 
of  thine  anger  ;  thou  hast  killed,  and  not  pitied." 
Cf.  Ex.  xii.  30. 

VIIL      The  Burial  of  Our  Lord. 

[Condensed  from  Townsend's  Arrangement  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament.] 

And  after  this,  when  the  even  was  come,  because  it 
was  t^ie  Preparation  (that  is  the  day  before  the  Sabbath), 
there  came  a  rich  man  of  Arimathaea,  a  city  of  the  Jews, 
named  Joseph,  an  honorable  counsellor ;  and  he  was  a 
good  man,  and  a  just ;  who  also  himself  waited  for  the 
Kingdom  of  God  ;  being  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  but  secretly, 
for  fear  of  the  Jews  (the  same  had  not  consented  to  the 
counsel  and  deed  of  them)  ;   this  man  came,  and  went  in 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  145 

boldly  unto  Pilate,  and  craved  the  body  of  Jesus  ;  and 
besought  Pilate,  that  he  might  take  away  the  body  of 
Jesus. 

And  Pilate  marvelled  if  he  ^-ere  already  dead  ;  and 
calling  unto  him  the  centurion,  he  asked  him  whether  he 
had  been  any  while  dead  ?  And  when  he  knew  it  of  the 
centurion,  Pilate  gave  him  leave  ;  and  commanded  the 
body  to  be  delivered  to  Joseph. 

And  he  bought  fine  linen,  and  he  came,  therefore,  and 
took  the  body  of  Jesus.  And  when  Joseph  had  taken 
the  body,  he. wrapped  it  in  a  clean  linen  cloth  ;  and  there 
came  also  Nicodemus  (which  at  the  first  came  to  Jesus  by 
night),  and  brought  a  mJxture  of  myrrh  and  aloes,  about 
a  hundred  pound  weight. 

Then  took  they  the  body  of  Jesus,  and  wound  it  in 
clean  linen  clothes  with  the  spices,  as  the  manner  of  the 
Jews  is  to  bury.  Now  in  the  place  where  he  was  cruci- 
fied there  was  a  garden,  and  in  the  garden  a  new  sepul- 
chre, and  [Joseph]  laid  the  body  in  [this]  his  own  new 
tomb  which  he  had  hewn  out  in  the  rock,  wherein  was 
never  man  yet  laid.  And  he  rolled  a  great  stone  to  the 
door  of  the  sepulchre,  and  departed. 

And  Mary  Magdalene  and  ]\Iary,  the  mother  of  Joses, 
beheld  where  he  was  laid.  And  the  women  also  which 
came  \vith  him  from  Galilee,  followed  after,  and  beheld 
the  sepulchre,  and  how  his  body  was  laid.  And  they 
returned,  and  prepared  spices  and  ointments  ;  and  rested 
the  Sabbath  day,  according  to  the  commandment. 

In  the  end  of  the  Sabbath,  very  early  in  the  morning, 
the  first  dav  of  the  week,  while  it  was  yet  dark,  as  it  besfan 
to  dawn  came  ]\Iary  Magdalene  and  the  other  Mary  unto 
the  sepulchre. 


146  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

And  behold  !  there  had  been  a  great  earthquake  ;  for 
the  Angel  of  the  Lord  descended  from  heaven,  and  came 
and  rolled  back  the  stone  from  the  door  and  sat  upon  it. 
His  countenance  was  like  lightning  and  his  raiment  white  as 
snow,  and  for  fear  of  him  the  keepers  did  shake  and  be- 
came as  dead  men.  .  And  many  bodies  of  the  saints 
which  slept  arose,  and  came  out  of  the  graves  after  his 
resurrection,  and  went  into  the  holy  city  and  appeared 
unto  many. 

And  [the  women]  said  among  themselves,  at  the  rising 
of  the  sun,  "  Who  shall  roll  us  away  the  stone  from  the 
door  of  the  sepulchre  ?"  for  it  was  very  great.  And  when 
they  looked,  they  saw  that  the  stone  was  rolled  away 
from  the  sepulchre. 

And  entering  into  the  sepulchre,  they  saw  a  young 
man  sitting  on  the  right  side  clothed  in  a  long  white  gar- 
ment ;  and  they  were  affrighted.  [But]  the  angel  an- 
swered and  said  unto  the  women,  ' '  Fear  not  ye  ;  for  I 
know  that  ye  seek  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  which  was  cruci- 
fied ;  he  is  not  here  ;  for  he  is  risen." 

And  they  went  out  quickly  from  the  sepulchre,  with 
fear ;  neither  said  they  anything  to  any  man,  [but]  with 
great  joy  did  run  to  bring  his  disciples  word. 

Peter  therefore  went  forth  and  that  other  disciple,  and 
came  to  the  sepulchre.  So  they  both  ran  together  ;  and 
the  other  disciple  did  outrun  Peter,  and  came  first  to  the 
sepulchre.  And  he  stooping  down  and  looking  in  saw 
the  linen  clothes  lying  ;  yet  went  not  in.  Then  cometh 
Simon  Peter  following  him  and  went  into  the  sepulchre 
and  seeth  the  linen  clothes  lie,  and  the  napkin  that  was 
about  his  head,  not  lying  with  the  linen  clothes,  but 
wrapped  together  in  a  place  bv  itself.     Then  went  in  also 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AXD  HINTS,  147 

that  other  disciple  and  he  saw  and  beheved  ;  for  as  yet 
they  knew  not  the  scripture,  that  he  must  rise  again  from 
the  dead. 

Then  the  disciples  went  away  again  unto  their  own 
home. 

But  Mary  stood  without,  at  the  sepulchre,  weeping. 

IX.      The    Resurrectiox,     in     Christ's    Own    Words 
(from  John). 

John  xiv.  1-3.  "  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled  :  ye 
believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me.  In  my  Fathers 
house  are  many  mansions  ;  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would 
have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  And  if 
I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and 
receive  you  unto  myself  ;  that  where  I  am,  there  ye  may 
be  also. ' ' 

John  xi.  25,  26.  ''I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life  : 
he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall 
he  live  :  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me  shall 
never  die. 

John  V.  25.  "Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  The 
hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear 
the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  :  and  they  that  hear  shall 
live." 

John  V.  2%,  29.  "  Mai^v'el  not  at  this  :  for  the  hour  is 
coming^,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  orraves  shall  hear 
his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth  ;  they  that  have  done 
good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life  ;  and  they  that  have 
done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation." 

John  vi.  40.  ''And  this  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent 
me.  that  everv  one  which  seeth  the  Son.  and  believeth  on 


148  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

him,  may  have  everlasting  Hfe  :  and  I  Avill  raise  him  up 
at  the  last  day." 

John  vi.  51.  "I  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down 
from  heaven  :  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live 
forever  :  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which 
I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world." 

John  vi.  58.  "This  is  that  bread  which  came  down 
from  heaven  :  not  as  your  fathers  did  eat  manna,  and  are 
dead  :  he  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall  live  forever. 

John  xvi.  '^^.  "  These  things  I  have  spoken  unto  you, 
that  in  me  ye  might  have  peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall 
have  tribulation  :  but  be  of  good  cheer  ;  I  have  over- 
come the  world. 

X.      Heaven. 

Rev.  vii.  9-17.  "  After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a  great 
multitude,  which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations, 
and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the 
throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes, 
and  palms  in  their  hands  ;  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
saying,  Salvation  to  our  God  which  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb.  And  all  the  angels  stood 
round  about  the  throne,  and  about  the  elders  and  the 
four  beasts,  and  fell  before  the  throne  on  their  faces,  and 
worshipped  God,  saying,  Amen  :  Blessing,  and  glory, 
and  wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and  power, 
and  might,  be  unto  our  God  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 
And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying  unto  me.  What 
are  these  which  are  arrayed  in  white  robes  ?  and  whence 
came  they  ?  And  I  said  unto  him,  Sir,  thou  knowest. 
And  he  said  to  me.  These  are  they  which  came  out  of 


TEXTS,    TOPICS,  AND  HINTS.  149 

great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore  are 
they  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and 
night  in  his  temple  :  and  he  that  sitteth  on  the  throne 
shall  dwell  among  them.  They  shall  hunger  no  more, 
neither  thirst  any  more  ;  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on 
them,  nor  any  -heat.  P^or  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them 
unto  living  fountains  of  waters  :  and  God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  their  eyes." 

XL     At  the  Grave.* 

(z. )  Fj'oni  the  Service  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

T[  Then,  while  the  earth  shall  be  cast  upon  the  Body  by 
some  standing  by,  the  Minister  shall  say: 

"  Forasmuch  as  it  hath  pleased  Almighty  God,  in  His 
wise  providence,  to  take  out  of  this  world  the  soul  of  our 
deceased  brother^  we  therefore  commit  his  body  to  the 
ground  ;  earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to  dust  : 
looking  for  the  general  resurrection  in  the  last  day,  and 
the  life  of  the  world  to  come,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  ;  at  whose  second  coming  in  glorious  majesty  to 
judge  the  world,  the  earth  and  the  sea  shall  give  up  their 
dead  ;  and  the  corruptible  bodies  of  those  who  sleep  in 
Him  shall  be  changed,  and  made  like  unto  His  own  glori- 
ous body  ;  according  to  the  mighty  working  whereby  He 
is  able  to  subdue  all  things  unto  Himself. 

(2,)  A  Form  of  Committal  to  the  Earth. 

It  is  written.   "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt 

*  In  case  of  burial  in  a  vault  or  tomb,  the  words,"  this  recep- 
tacle prepared  for  the  dead,"  may  be  substituted  for  "  earth  "or 
"  ground." 


150  THE  BURIAL  OF  THE   DEAD. 

return."  And  we  know  that  soon  or  late  we  too  must  go 
the  way  of  all  the  earth.  But  we  believe  in  One  who  hath 
abolished  death,  and  hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to 
li^ht  through  the  gospel.  In  the  name  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  we  therefore  commit  this  body  to  the 
tj-round  ;  earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to  dust :  trust- 
inf>-  to  find  in  Him  our  comfort  in  this  life,  and  in  the 
world  to  come  life  everlasting. 

And  to  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the   Holy  Spirit,  one 
God,  shall  be  praise  evermore.      Amen  ! 

(j. )  Another  Form  of  Committal, 

We  have  come  here  to  lay  our  dead  out  of  our  sight. 
But  we  sorrow  not  as  those  who  have  no  hope.  In  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  we  commit  all  that  is  mortal  of  this  our  brother  to 
the  earth  whence  he  came  ;  earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes, 
dust  to  dust.  And  to  Him  who  sitteth  on  high,  in  whose 
hand  are  the  keys  of  death  and  hell,  we  look  for  that 
resurrection  of  the  body  whereof  He  was  the  fiist-fniits 
from,  the  dead. 

XII.      Benediction. 

' '  Now  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought  again  from  the 
dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep, 
through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make 
you  perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do  His  will,  working  in 
you  that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  His  sight,  through  Jesus 
Christ  ;  to  whom  be  glory  forever  and  ever.      Amen." 


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